


Jigsaw Love

by Daytona444



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Plot Twists, Blow Jobs, F/F, F/M, M/M, oh my!, original characters are my bread and butter, pick on you because I like you mentality, sassy redheads, shinnanigans, silencing charms are our friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-15
Updated: 2012-11-15
Packaged: 2017-11-18 17:12:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 75,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/563454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daytona444/pseuds/Daytona444
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some people fit together like pre-cut puzzle pieces while others need to be reshaped and thrust together continuously until they interlock.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Puzzle Pieces

As puzzle pieces littered the Ravenclaw common room floor, two inquisitive sixth-year students were situated directly in the middle of the mess, like an island of bronze and blue surrounded by unruly cardboard waters. Rose Weasely and Albus Potter were smiling at the chaos, finding it easier to scatter all the pieces out first before attempting to complete the puzzle.

"I can't believe we're sixth years already, Al," Rose murmured as she began to separate all the edge and corner pieces, a tactic she had consistently used since childhood.

"I know..." Albus trailed off, following his cousin's strategy, "I'm going to miss having Louis around... and James is going to be more insufferable than usual now that he's Head Boy and all."

It wasn't that his older brother didn't deserve the position, on the contrary actually. Despite being flashy and full of himself, James worked hard at remaining friendly with all houses (even Slytherin, for the most part), playing Quidditch and keeping up with his studies. He earned the position fair and square; Al just didn't want to think how much more big-headed his brother would become because of it.

His cousin, Louis Weasely, on the other hand, was more of the grounded sort unless one got him riled up. Then all Veela-hell broke loose without hopes of salvaging the victim's dignity. Albus had a closeness with Louis that he couldn't share with his older brother, something only the two of them could understand. It wasn't like Albus flaunted his preferences around or anything, but whenever James tried to small-talk him into discussing his love life, the older brother would always get weirded out and quickly change the subject, not being able to hear about Al's boy crushes. Louis, however, was as flamboyant as they came; it wasn't his fault really; Veela blood just tended to make one more feminine and soft to look at... Louis' tastes in men just kind of came along with the territory.

Albus came out to Louis when he was thirteen at their family Christmas party. Needless to say, the Veela-boy was more than pleased to have someone else in the family to chat up boys with that wasn't one of his sisters or silly fangirls at school. If it weren't for Louis' experience and Albus' knack for researching subjects he was uneducated about, the poor Ravenclaw would probably feel like a fisher without a net, hoping against hope that some cute little gay-boy fish would jump in his boat willingly. Unfortunately, Louis, being two years older, graduated last year so now Albus was forced to fend for himself in straight-infested waters. Not to say his family didn't know about him being gay. They did. He officially "came out" of the closet at the beginning of last term and as expected, his family could care less. As long as he was happy and kept up in school, Albus could love whomever he wanted. Granted, the blow was more likely softened because of Louis coming out first, but Albus liked to believe his family was pretty up-to-date with the times and open-minded enough to accept him for who he was. Because let's face it, in a world of magic being gay was kind of boring. Being a half-Giant or Squib were far worse offenses.

"Yea, let's hope his head doesn't explode from too much self-worship," Rose smiled a soft, understanding smile toward her favorite cousin. Rose couldn't imagine having an older brother like James; having him as a cousin was hard enough. James wasn't the bad sort, just more the "perfect" and expected sort when it came to the name Potter or Weasely. He was charming, witty, outgoing, intelligent, athletic... it was disgusting really. Albus had always had insecurities with his social awkwardness and it was no wonder considering what examples he was supposed to live up to. Al's father could tell him until he was blue in the face that popularity wasn't everything and even he, "The Chosen One", had moments of extreme unpopularity in his school days, but it wouldn't matter; in the time of adolescence, the universal concern of being accepted seemed to take precedence.

Al had to chuckle at Rose's comment, indulging for a moment at the fictitious thought of James' head exploding, because he loved himself too much. If anyone where able to die that way, his older brother would definitely be the likely candidate.

"So do you have your eyes on anyone this year?" Rose inquired slowly with the raise of an eyebrow, always curious as to what tickled her cousin's fancy. That and truthfully, she didn't have many friends that were girls so Albus was the closet she could get when it came to girl-talk.

"Same old, same old," Al sighed as he began to put the edge and corner pieces together, beginning to form the outline of the 1000-piece puzzle (which spoke volumes of their lack of love life). Albus had dated a Hufflepuff boy, Randy Harold, near the end of fifth year but it only lasted a month or so before Albus abruptly ended the affair, Al claiming that he just wasn't ready for anything serious. In truth, the boy had been just so damn nice it was sickening.

"You're not telling me you still have a thing for blondie do you?" Rose referred to the blonde Slytherin she liked to think resembled Albus' albino pet ferret named Leonardo (inspired by one of Albus' favorite old Muggle actors, swoon-worthy Leonardo Dicaprio, post-Titanic). By the look in his emerald green eyes she knew she was accurate, "Please, Al. He's so not worth it. He's not even THAT good-looking."

"You're lying."

"Well maybe he IS that good-looking, but still... he's a prat. And a bully," she pointed her finger at her cousin, a motion she had memorized from her own mother since birth, "And if you think I'm going to sit around and watch you wallow in your own misery again because of him, you're wrong." Rose paused for a moment, almost feeling guilty because Albus wouldn't meet her eyes with own, " Look, I know Randy was too nice for you or whatever bollocks excuse you used, but Scorpius Malfoy? He's a bloody... a bloody..."

"Good-for-nothing twit?" Albus offered with a weak smile, knowing his cousin was right. He just couldn't help it. One look in those menacing steel-grey eyes and Albus was all but a melted chocolate frog in the Slytherin's hands. Damn his self-sabotaging ways for having a thing for bad boys without a hope for a good side.

"Sure, that works," Rose agreed before smirking a little, helping Albus finish up the edges of the puzzle before beginning to tackle the middle, "You know. I heard he and Colette Zabini hooked up over summer holiday, but I don't believe it's true. I've caught her looking at me funny this year... if you know what I mean. It's sad really, to think that the only attention I get is from a closeted-lesbian who sports a Mohawk and runs around in a leather jacket."

"Well at least someone is giving you attention," Albus mused solemnly before he fingered two puzzle pieces, pushing them together until they connected, "I don't know what it is, Rosie. I just feel like him and I are two pieces of a puzzle just waiting for someone to fit together. I can't explain it."

"Or maybe," Rose countered as she picked up two other pieces, obviously not meant for each other but almost fitting just the same, "it only looks like you two fit because you want it badly enough."

"I guess," Albus spoke almost inaudibly, the second part coming out in a defeated breath, "But isn't that worth something?"

Rose sighed and gently placed her hand on Albus' shoulder, her warm brown eyes speaking what her mouth wouldn't say before returning to their puzzle. They continued in silence for the rest of the evening, allowing the darkness outside to loom over their countenances.

()

Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy sauntered through the halls of Hogwarts as if he owned the place, which in his arrogant mind he did. His fellow crew of Slytherins lagged behind him self-assuredly: twins Colette and Cody Zabini, Rodney Goyle, and Adrian Thames (nee Parkinson). Despite Scorpius' father's considered betrayal among Voldemort supporters, Draco Malfoy still managed to remain friends with his old crew from school. Therefore, his son, Scorpius, grew up with the people that were now known as The Serpents. It was their own sense of a club and plenty of Slytherins had tried to get in, without much luck. One could spot them during school by their robes which were embroidered with two serpents intertwined with silver thorns wrapped around their slithering bodies... or by the teens' matching leather jackets with the same design plastered on the backs which they wore whenever they weren't in classes.

Back in fourth year, when Scorpius bought his mates their jackets, James Potter had made the snide comment that they reminded him of a Muggle movie called West Side Story and how ironic it was that a group so bent on being purebloods resembled something so Muggle... and from a musical no less. He continued to comment on how simply gay the whole thing was (this was, of course, before he realized which team his little brother played for). Needless to say, the group went about relentlessly pranking James Potter for a month, but the slimy bastards were never caught, something James is still bent about. Of course, being a Potter and a Weasely, he managed his revenge flawlessly: it took weeks for Scorpius to try and get the fire-engine red color to wash from his platinum locks and in the end, he had to shave his head and wait for his Malfoy blonde hair to grow back.

It was only the second week of school, but Scorpius was looking forward to the year: he was prefect (yet again), Seeker and Captain for their Quidditch team, head-to-head with that know-it-all Rose Weasely in classes and he already tormented Ravenclaw-Potter four times since school started. It was going to be a good year, he could tell. And speaking of the Middle-Potter, Scorpius thought wickedly as he gazed at the messy black head coming his way. He motioned for his friends to go ahead of him, telling Colette to save him a seat in potions, before redirecting his attention to the socially-graceless Ravenclaw.

"Hello Ravenclaw-Potter," he sneered, enunciating the 'Ravenclaw' part as if it left a bad taste in his mouth, "Enjoy the break with your little fag of a boyfriend?"

Albus swallowed when he had seen the Slytherin up ahead, tempted to turn around and walk the other way but realizing that would only make it worse later. Come on, Al. This is your year to stand up for yourself. Grow some.

"Its just Potter," Albus said meekly, annoyed with himself that his voice was so soft despite the annoyance he felt inside, "And I dumped him."

Deciding short and sweet was best, Albus brushed his hair out of his eyes and dared to glance up at Scorpius, hoping his green eyes were mirroring his distaste and not his pleasure at seeing how well the Slytherin had filled out. Sure, he had noticed when they were on the Hogwarts Express two weeks ago and Scorpius insisted on brushing by him just hard enough to push him into the hallway wall during their first patrol of the year, but now he could take full advantage to see how much the blonde boy changed over the summer. His face was more defined, with cheekbones popping underneath taut, smooth ivory flesh and eyes that had grown older and more piercing as if they had wised up over the two months of break. Blonde wisps of hair framed his face delicately and Al had to admit to himself that he was grateful for his older brother's prank, much preferring the short shaggy haircut as opposed to the traditionally long hair. His body had taken a change as well, resembling more of a swimmers' build with built shoulders and arms tapering down to a trim waist and hips, a far better improvement from the tall, lanky form he was sporting last year. Not that Albus minded, either way the boy was gorgeous in his eyes...

"I highly doubt that," Scorpius cut into his thoughts with a raised eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest, as if he felt the intensity of Albus' admiring orbs.

"Doubt what?" Al looked up at him confused for a moment, internally having a panic-attack that he had spoken his praises of the Slytherin out loud.

"Doubt that you'd be the dumper and not the dumpee."

"Oh, that. Well it's true. You know, it's not unheard of. Someone fancying me and I dumping them, because I lost interest. I'm not that pathetic..." He trailed off with an annoyed huff before pushing past the taller boy, suddenly irritated at the thought of Malfoy not thinking he was worthy of being desired or that he was so desperate that the idea of him choosing to leave someone was preposterous.

Scorpius, slightly irked by Albus' sudden moment of ball-busting bravery, followed the raven-haired boy with eyes fiercely cold before pushing him into the nook of the wall, hiding them away from the straggling students entering the potions' classroom at the last minute.

"Aren't you though?" Scorpius spoke barely above a whisper, pressing his body against Albus' to the point of crushing, the smaller boy letting out a soft whimper in the back of his throat, "Aren't you pathetic enough to believe someone would want you? That someone would be attracted to how socially-inept you are," he pressed closer until his mouth was near the other boy's ear, his warm breath dancing along Al's skin deliciously while his hands rested against the hard wall on either side of his victim's head, his chest continuing to pin the other boy's smaller frame in place, "how undeniably awkward and clumsy you come off as? How you're the only Potter since Merlin knows when that wasn't sorted into Gryffindor, because you didn't have the balls to cut it…"

Albus couldn't breathe. He had dreamt of intense moments like these since fourth year, but never like this. Never this cruel. In his daydreams, Scorpius was pressed against him because he couldn't be close enough, because he desired Al so much that the thought of being inches apart would drive the Slytherin mad. He had imagined Scorpius being this close to him would have be pleasurable instead of the pain he was feeling against his chest. In that back of his rational mind, this is what Albus believed he deserved for reading too much into muggle romantic comedies and novels. His life was no Jane-Austen tale and Mr. Darcy was a farce.

Al tried to struggle against the taller, more fit, boy but it only seemed to egg Scorpius on more as he grabbed Al's wrists and pinned them about his head, now moving his face so his lips barely grazed Albus' as he spoke, the flavor of the blonde's mint candy he was sucking on tantalizing the Ravenclaw's mouth. "You really think someone would desire this... desire you?" He paused and for a brief moment, Al caught something in those grey depths, a flicker of something foreign... and heated. With a small swallow, Al remained motionless and still, hoping that Scorpius was almost done with his taunting because he wasn't sure how much more of this he could handle before a reaction down below would most likely begin to make itself known. And as much as he hated to admit it, Albus enjoyed being this close to the dick-head. If only he'd stop talking...

"It's laughable, Potter," Scorpius finished before pushing himself off, immediately missing the warmth the other boy's body created against his and berating himself for thinking such irrational and dangerous thoughts.

Albus watched Scorpius stalk off to the potions' classroom and waited until he was inside before he allowed himself to slide down the cold wall and put his head in his hands, forcing himself not to cry as he body shook with the realization of what just happened. Whoever said "stick and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me" was the biggest bullshitter Albus had ever heard of. Because this hurt. This hurt worse than the Cruciatus Curse.

As Scorpius entered the classroom, he glanced at his group and headed their way, brushing his hands through his hair absently as he did so.

"Are you okay? You looked all flushed..." Colette started with concerned hazel eyes as Scorpius sat next to her, beginning to pull out his things for the lesson and ignoring her coddling.

"Maybe he found some hot thing wandering the halls and decided to have a go with her," Cody chimed in with an amused whisper and identical hazel eyes, lightly patting Scorpius on the back in congratulations.

"Yea, that's it," Scorpius agreed with the infamous Malfoy smirk as he high-fived his friends and winked at Colette. She just returned the wink with a knowing roll of her eyes and a smile, about to say something but was cut off by Professor Elwes greeting the class matter-of-factly. Albus never did come into class, but only Rose and Scorpius seemed to notice.

Scorpius tried to listen as the potions professor began to drill into their heads that this year was just as important as the last because N.E.W.T.S. were upon them, but all Scorpius could think about was flushed, tan cheeks and probing green eyes.

Next time on Jigsaw Love:

Scorpius can't get a pair of green eyes out of his mind; Albus recounts his sorting back in first year; A certain Slytherin hatches the ultimate prank.


	2. Painfully Stereotypical Ravenclaws

Green. Emerald. Forest. Vert. Verde. Midori.

God, now Scorpius was thinking of his eyes in different languages; he spoke only five (not including Latin because it seemed a necessity to learn when it came to being a wizard), which seemed minimal according to his grandfather and insisted he take up Russian this year as a hobby. Russian of all things, with their unrecognizable letters and harsh tones; they sounded angry all the time, in Scorpius' opinion. Japanese was hard enough with their characters and odd grammar, but Scorpius wasn't one to go against his grandfather, even if he hated the old self-righteous bastard; the old cook was still blood. To become an Auror, he figured having any knowledge, even an extensive knowledge of languages was something else he could use to his advantage against the competition. And for that reason alone, he would suffer through the aggressive language that reminded him of being permanently constipated.

But back to green. Scorpius sighed as he shifted in his bed, the early sun creeping through the lake water that threatened to break into the dungeon windows. Scorpius always found it humorous that the Slytherins were forced to live in dungeons under the lake, as if they were a best-kept secret no wasp family would want to expose. No wonder Salazar had a tiff with the other Founders. He got shit for rooms, Scorpius mused, despite the fact that he oddly enjoyed the dark and dampness of his dormitory and the soothing sound of the lake lapping against the windows. However, and he'd Avada himself before ever admitting to it, he had often wondered what it would be like to wake up in one of the towers. The feel of warmth settling into the room and actually being able to watch the sunrise, fully exposed in it's awakening freshness as opposed to get a murky-shrouded view of it through dinged glass windows. Scorpius decided he'd most likely choose the Ravenclaw Tower due to the rumors of it having the best view of the mountains and Hogwarts grounds... and because the owner of a certain pair of green eyes belonged there.

"Fuck," Scorpius muttered under his breath in frustration, rising out of bed and running his hands through his hair, a nervous habit he picked up in fourth year once his hair started to grow back from the "James Potter" incident. It had been nearly a week since his and Albus' encounter in the Dungeon hallway and for some reason every time Scorpius closed his eyes, he saw green. Not Slytherin green. Potter green. Potter-fucking green. It was starting to drive him mad. With an annoyed sigh, the blonde stealthily snuck into the bathrooms to start getting ready for the day. It was a Saturday and the first Hogsmeade trip of the year which Scorpius wasn't too thrilled about, but he decided any excuse to get off the grounds was a good one.

Turning on the shower half-heartedly, Scorpius stripped down and stepped into the shower, shivering a little as the water took its time heating up. Still fighting off sleep, the Slytherin pressed his back against the cool tile and allowed the hot water to cover him in a relaxing veil of steam. As he stood there and closed his eyes, he couldn't help imagining what he had dreamt about every night this week: how good it felt to be pressed up against Potter and the boy's feeble whimper as he pushed him harder into the brick; it was enough to make blood rush south without warning. But now it didn't matter because he was alone away from questioning eyes. He allowed himself to remember the feel of Albus' chest against it own, remembering how surprised he was to find that the Ravenclaw's body felt toned and built, obviously refuting Scorpius' previous thoughts that the bookworm was athletically handicapped.

With a defeated grunt, Scorpius trailed his hands down his moist body, and wrapped slender fingers around his hardening prick, tugging gently as he licked his lips. He could remember how Potter smelled when he spoke against his neck, like mint mixed with citrus and a tinge of lavender; it was oddly fresh and feminine but smelled masculine on him. He tugged harder, eliciting a low growl in his throat. He could remember how close their lips touched, how if he just leaned a little bit forward he would have been able to taste those innocent lips... His free hand grabbed his sack and began to gently fondle it, suddenly imagining large tan hands gripping him while a hot tongue teased his thighs, emerald eyes looking up for approval.

"Fuck, what are you doing to me?" Scorpius hissed under his breath, as he pumped his hand harder, so close he could feel the tension bubble up in his stomach. Green eyes… Just a little more… Albus Potter on his knees… So close…

"Scorpius?"

"Dammit!" A disgruntled Scorpius gripped the wall for support so he wouldn't slip and fall, his erection painfully throbbing with the denied promise of release.

"Oh hey, thought that was you," Adrian paused for a moment as he turned on his own shower, "I wasn't interrupting anything was I? You weren't wanking off were you?"

"Of course not, you perve," Scorpius shot back indignantly, if not a little strangled as he rubbed water over his face, trying to splash some sense into himself, "Hurry up so we can eat before Hogsmeade. I don't want to wait for the others. They'll catch up."

"Alright." Adrian smirked to himself and shook his head in amusement, extremely aware of what he interrupted his mate doing and not caring in the slightest. Served the bastard right for not giving them details about whomever he had a row with last week before potions.

Scorpius looked down at his swollen cock and mentally muttered curse words in the five languages he knew before switching the water from hot to Antarctic and forcing himself under, hating how the green eyes remained in the forefront of his mind.

I'm screwed.

()

The sun filtered in gradually through the midnight blue curtains, soaking the normally cool-toned room in warm glows of orange. Albus threw his covers over his head in protest, wishing that once in a while their dormitories weren't so high up. He idly imagined living in the Slytherin dungeons before involuntarily shivering and welcoming the brightness of the room instead.

At least today's Saturday, Albus thought idly as he peeked one eye over his covers, glancing around to see if any of his mates were up yet. He spotted Alex DuVol sitting up in his bed with a book in hand, welcoming the sunshine as it gifted him with light. Albus smiled to himself and shook his head at how stereotypical Ravenclaws could be. It wasn't that Albus didn't enjoy reading. He did. Immensely. But he had other hobbies as well such as flying, cooking, inquisitive muggle games like scrabble and puzzles, eating sweets (yes, that was a hobby in his opinion) and last but not least, drawing. Al loved to draw. Ever since he was younger, he always knew he saw the world differently than others; where others saw numbers and letters, he saw shapes and shadows. His parents had enrolled him in some Muggle classes the summer he was seven and he simply fell in love with art. So much that he continued his classes every summer between terms. However, at school, he limited his drawing time to when he was either in the common room or his dormitory, with the rare sneak out to the lake or astronomy tower. It wasn't that he was ashamed of his artistic skills... in fact, he was extremely proud with how far he had come. Drawing people came easily now and landscapes were a breeze. He kept it a secret because he just didn't need something else that made him more different than he already was.

His mates in Ravenclaw understood his need for creativity and praised his work on plenty of occasions. Contrary to popular stereotypes, being sorted into Ravenclaw didn't always mean that one was bookworm smart or had the personality of a used quill. In fact, some of the most unique and fascinating people came from his house, in his opinion. Ravenclaws prided themselves not only on their wit but also on their ability to see people for who they are rather than what they represent; to look at them as individuals and be welcoming of them even if they don't like the group they hang around with. Ravenclaws were a rare breed and Albus felt they were highly underrated. It was one of the reasons Albus told the Sorting Hat to put him in Ravenclaw.

Albus closed his eyes momentarily and remembered his first day at Hogwarts, the talk he had with his caring father about not wanting to be put in Slytherin and his father's comforting words. However, Albus didn't admit this to anyone, but he really didn't want to be in Gryffindor either. Of course he wanted to be with his older brother, what younger sibling didn't, but Albus just knew neither Gryffindor nor Slytherin were the houses for him. He told the Sorting Hat so when it was placed upon his head. The hat disagreed, of course, explaining that he had both cunning and ambition, even if it was rarely used, as well as overwhelming selflessness and bravery, once again, that was rarely used. And yet, Albus stubbornly argued, rationalizing with the hat that he wanted to be in a place where they understood he was different, where being different and an individual was accepted rather than rejected. He wanted to belong somewhere he could draw and be creative. And he didn't want to follow in his parents' or brother's footsteps.

Albus' sorting took about eight minutes, his hatstall rivaling the famous Headmistress Minerva McGonagall's. It was a sight to behold: eleven-year-old Albus rationalizing his desires to the tattered old hat, using wisdom far beyond his years that left the hat with no choice but to confidently announce "Ravenclaw!" and allow Albus to sit with those who would help nurture him to be the best wizard he could be. Rose's sorting was similar but only lasted about a minute, the hat educating her about her own mother's sorting and how Rose was very much in the same position. Ultimately though, Rose and the hat agreed that Ravenclaw would be best for the bushy-haired redhead and Rose couldn't be happier, meaning she would be able to stay close to her best friend, Albus.

And now here they were, five years later, and Albus was still happy with his decision. However, he had to admit that at first his family was shell-shocked, neither his father nor mother having Ravenclaw in their family trees as far as they could recall. A small tinge of guilt had plagued the eleven-year-old Albus for not telling them he chose Ravenclaw because he wasn't like them, but he knew that it would hurt their feelings so he kept it to himself. Only Rose knew the truth since she slightly shared the same feelings even if her mother was almost sorted into their house; they were the two odd ones in the family but at least they could be odd together.

The sun reached a little higher in the sky, to the point where hiding from it's light was no longer worth the trouble, so Albus thrust the covers off of him and headed to the bathroom to shower, aware that Rose was probably already ready and waiting for him downstairs.

And he was right, Rose was sitting on the couch going through her Muggle weekly planner her mum purchased for her before term started, her ballet flats tapping against the star-covered carpet to it's own tune.

"Hey Rosie, ready to go?" Albus grinned at his cousin as he ran a hand through his hair, spreading pomade in it so his hair stuck up in all sorts of places; it was messy but manipulated messy. It was very Albus.

Rosie grinned and grabbed her light pink sweater to throw over her shoulders as she followed Al out of the common room, "Sleep well, Cous?"

"Always. Best dreams ever," he shot back with a smile and a wink. In truth, he hardly slept well anymore, being a nightowl by nature, but there was no point in worrying Rose about it… because Merlin-forbid it got back to his mum, or worse, his grandma. What was it with girls and worrying anyway?

"About the ferret?" Rose quipped with a condescending brow before linking her arm with Al's.

"He's not a ferret. I don't know why you insist on calling him that."

"And I don't know why you insist on defending him. Besides, you heard what dad said. About Draco Malfoy being transfigured into a ferret during his fourth year by a professor? I think some of his ferretness never left him and now it's passed onto his son," she stated matter-of-factly as if they were discussing why 2 + 2 = 4.

"Ferretness?" Albus had to laugh loudly at that, "Oh Rosie, just because you're the smartest girl in our year doesn't mean you can just make up words and expect them to be acceptable."

"Sure I can. Watch," Rose said assuredly as they walked by two Gryffindor fourth year girls, both clad in Muggle dresses that reeked of floral print, "Hey, you guys. Yeah, you. Ferretness. Use it."

The girls looked at her strangely until they recognized who was on her arm and then they proceeded to giggle and nod their heads enthusiastically, promising that they would spread it around even though they had no idea what it meant.

"See? I'm brilliant."

"They only agreed because I was walking beside you," he hip-checked her playfully, before continuing with a smug grin "Well it's good to know that even though I'm out, girls still find me adorable."

"Well of course. You have half-Weasley genes. We're all good-looking," she smiled smugly and hip-checked him back before they both started laughing and heading outside, where an autumn chill that threatened leaves orange ran up there backsides.

()

The sound of boisterous laughter pierced the air, forcing Scorpius to whip his blonde head to see where the intrusion on his silence was coming from. The sight of Weasley and Potter made his upper lip curl in annoyance. And just when I thought I had gotten you out of my head, Potter, Scorpius thought in annoyance, refusing to look away from the happy pair until Albus noticed him.

As if sensing his penetrating gaze, Albus looked ahead and grey clashed with green for a tense moment before the Ravenclaw ferociously blushed and looked away, forcing Ravenclaw-Weasley to look over as well and give Scorpius a rather rude gesture. The Slytherin guessed it was a Muggle thing considering he had no idea why a middle-finger raised in the air was so threatening. Figures she'd do something Muggle-related... being a Weasley and all. But no matter, he blushed when he looked at me didn't he? With a self-satisfied smirk, Scorpius turned his head back to his crew, who had taken to staring at him as if waiting for permission to breathe.

"Let's go."

The wind whipped mercilessly against the group covered in black leather and lead by a tall blonde head. Scorpius walked in silence while Adrian and Rodney discussed their recent lays and Cody listened quietly, remaining close to Thame's side. Colette merely rolled her eyes at their vulgarity and swooped up beside her best friend, wanting to link arms with him but thought better of it; he was never one for public affection, even from the closest of friends.

"What was that all about?"

"What was what all about?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Ravenclaw-Potter."

"You're imagining things again, love," Scorpius glanced over to his mohawk-sporting friend, his metal gaze clearly telling her to drop the subject until a later time.

Colette nodded with a soft sigh and looked ahead, pulling her jacket collar up around her neck for protection against the breeze, her caramel skin blending in with the harsh black fabric like a swirling cup of creamed coffee.

"I like the stars," Scorpius added softly, a voice he only used with Colette, "How'd your mum take it?"

Colette's hands instinctively went up to her hair, tracing the sides where shapes of stars had been shaved in on both sides, "Thanks. I like them, too. She wasn't too happy about it. I promised her I'd wear a dress for your annual Christmas party though... she just doesn't need to know there'll be pants underneath." She grinned before continuing, "Dad loved it though, which surprised me. He said it was 'wicked cool'. I think he's finally losing it."

Scorpius had to allow a small smile to grace his lips, thinking of the pompous, high-and-mighty Blaise Zabini finding shaved stars 'wicked cool'. "Mid-life crisis, I suspect. Milk it while you can..."

"Oh I plan to... Have you forgotten my early birthday present to myself?" Colette's smile was gone from her face but the grin remained in her hazel eyes.

"How could I forget? You forced me to go with you to that hellish Muggle place and watch them thrust needles into you repeatedly."

"Oh don't be such a drama king, it wasn't that bad," she scoffed and lightly pushed his arm.

"Take it back. I am not a drama king..." He gave her a warning side-glance, though there was a hint of playfulness hiding there.

"Then stop acting like one," she taunted back before looking ahead at the sight of The Three Broomsticks, "Come on. There's a Butterbeer with my name of it. You can continue being dramatic in there."

Scorpius, giving in to her antics as per usual, allowed himself to shake his head in amusement and follow her, until he spotted a flurry of red hair followed by black go into Tomes and Scrolls. Hesitating for a moment, the blonde called out that he had to make one quick stop and that he'd be right back. Ignoring the odd looks of confusion from the boys or Colette's unamused glare, Scorpius swiftly walked toward the specialty bookstore, sighing at how painfully stereotypical Ravenclaws could be.

Fortunate for the Slytherin, there was no bell attached to the door announcing his arrival, which was fine by him. He wasn't supposed to be here anyways. The last thing he needed was for Potter to realize he had purposefully followed him. And why had he done it exactly? What was this slow increasing obsession he began to feel for the awkward yet intelligent Potter? It couldn't have been that sudden; he had tormented the boy since he was eleven. Ever since Scorpius overheard Mr. Weasley telling his bushy-haired daughter to make sure to beat him in everything, and he realized Albus and the competition were best friends, he assumed the green-eyed thing for a boy was on her side and therefore not on his. Scorpius had never been good with sharing. He just wished he could figure out when this damn thing with Potter had escalated into something more than teasing and pranking.

It might have been when Potter had "come-out-of-the-closet" so to speak, proclaiming his preference for all the world last term. Oh, did The Daily Prophet have a go at that. He faintly remembered the Ravenclaw blushing like mad when the article on his sexuality was released and everyone in Hogwarts had a copy, some even asking him to sign them. Rubbish really. People are so thick. But Scorpius remembered thinking that Albus' blushing had been of the endearing sort and that something in him wanted to find a way to make him react that way more often. So his pestering became more physical. Light brushes against the unsuspecting boy's thigh when they were partnered in classes together, purposefully bumping him into a wall and then insulting him as if it were his own fault for walking in the first place and finally, when Albus was flushed and pressed up so tightly against Scorpius either of them could hardly breathe. Yes, Scorpius enjoyed those reactions very much and he planned on continuing to make them happen.

"Hey Al, I found the section. Over here!"

Rose's bright voice brought Scorpius back to reality, realizing he had gotten irritatingly aroused by thoughts of a blushing Potter and cursing his sixteen-year-old self for being so hormonal-happy. Suddenly he realized the said-section his obsession was looking for happened to be right where the turned-on blonde was hiding in. With Seeker reflexes, Scorpius dodged his way through the bookshelves quietly, his eyes keeping a close watch on the bobbing black head that passed two shelves down, blissfully unaware that he was the object of someone's stalking.

"Oh yes, there it is! Thanks, Rosie," Albus chimed in cheerfully, his soft voice prickling Scorpius' skin until goosebumps began to rise gently, "I think it's about time I read about the men who I'm named after. You know, beyond Hogwarts' education. According to dad, they were both extraordinary men and in my opinion, they better have been since I've been saddled with two of the most embarrassing names I can imagine being given."

"Oh come on, Albus isn't so bad..." Rose placated before adding, "And Severus is kinda cool. It's unique, but in a good way."

"I guess..." Albus didn't sound convinced as he picked up a rather thick book, studying the cover before reading the back, "I suppose it could be worse..." He added as in afterthought.

"Yeah, you could be name Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. I mean talk about embarrassing names following you for the rest of your life," Rose laughed but stopped quickly when a book dropped two shelves down followed by an annoyed grunt. Rose squinted her eyes to try and see where the noise came from but her attention was quickly herded back to the massive book dedicated to one of Hogwarts most popular Headmasters.

"I really like this one, Rosie," Albus commented before checking the price tag, "BUT it's not going to happen today. Dad will kill me if I spend this much on another book… And knowing James' mouth, I won't be able to get away with it." He sighed as he placed it back and grabbed another, smaller one, "Oh, but this one on Severus Snape is cheaper. I guess I'll just settle for one today."

Albus gave a pleased smiled as he headed over to the cashier and paid for his book, waiting until the shop owner was gone before he turned back to Rose, "And you know, Rosie, Scorpius' name isn't all that bad. It's kind of badass really. I think it suits him well. It reminds me of a Scorpion and those things are lethal... kind of like him. In a sexy and good way… if lethal can be good."

"I'm sure it can't," Rose said stiffly before taking on a tone of playful accusation, "You're only sticking up for him because you want to get in his pants!"

"Rose!" Albus shoved her out the bookstore as she taunted him some more, their loud banter escaping into the wind once the shop door closed, enveloping the store in silence once more.

()

Scorpius had to admit he had a mind to jump out and blow his cover right then and there when the know-it-all Weaslette insulted him. How dare she think she had the right to judge his name? Sure, there were times he hated it himself; it was a fairly absurd name, but it didn't mean anyone else could make fun of his parent's strange taste in the name department. However, any ill-fated thoughts toward the redhead vanished when Potter stood up for him. Him, Potter's own tormentor and yet he stood up for him, even going as far to say that it made him sound more badass… and lethally sexy. Scorpius couldn't help the little bit of warmth his heart felt at Potter's defense before reality came crashing down and he quickly killed that butterfly by setting it on fire, drowning it, and then setting it on fire again just to make sure. An obsession was fine but warm, fluttery feelings? Hell no.

At the sound of Weasley's confession, Scorpius had to smirk his Slytherin smirk, grateful for the confirmation of what he had already figured out, even if he doubted it in moments of uncharacteristic insecurity. So Ravenclaw-Potter wanted to get into his pants eh? He might be able to arrange for that down the road. But first, a game was in order.

Scorpius came out of hiding once he deciphered the coast was clear and walked over to the biography section once more. He gingerly picked up the thick tome Albus had been inspecting earlier and set it on the counter, paying for it without even looking at the price tag.

Oh this will be fun.

Next time on Jigsaw Love:

Al receives a gift from a secret admirer, a hot new professor joins Hogwarts as well as a fiery American, Collete ruffles Rose's Ravenclaw feathers and Scorpius' need to be around Albus grows...


	3. Secret Admirers and Audacious Americans

Breakfast was never this exciting. It started off as mundane as usual but within fifteen minutes, it took a turn for the intriguing. As the owls swooped in with the mail, one particular burly one hurdled it's way toward Albus Potter, struggling with the rather thick package it was carrying.

The messy-haired Ravenclaw, doubting that anything wrapped in such fine paper would be for him, jumped as the package unexpectedly fell on the table in front him with a letter addressed to him.

"What's that?" Rose asked curiously, her bushy hair tamed with a silk blue ribbon.

"Not sure," Albus said softly, aware of the rest of his houses' eyes locked on the package, curiosity thick in the air, "It must be for me right? No other Albus in this school last time I checked..."

"Well, go on. Open it!" Sandra Coleman, a 4th year decked out in bronze and blue, practically squeaked in excitement, clasping her hands together anxiously.

Tentatively, Albus started tearing at the midnight-blue wrapping paper while Rose grabbed the letter, reading the message aloud,

"Dearest Albus,

I hope you accept this token of my affection. I'd like to think it'll keep you company at night since I cannot.

My heart is yours,

Your Secret Admirer."

Albus, blushed extremely red as Rose read the letter aloud followed by giggles from some third year Ravenclaws nearby. "Maybe you should have proofread that first..." he muttered, clearly embarrassed, before gasping softly as the present revealed itself, "No way..."

He held up the thick tome, unable to control the grin as it spread across his face, while Rose continued to stare at the letter, obviously trying to dissect the script to see if the gift-giver was male or female.

"Rose, do you see this? It's that book. The expensive one," Albus shoved the volume in her face exuberantly, forcing her to stop her Sherlock-Holmes act, "How did they know? And who is 'they' anyway?"

Rose's eyebrows furrowed deeper as she took the book, examining it as if it would magically explode or turn into something horrid. It only took a couple minutes for her to realize it was indeed simply a book as she handed it back to Al along with the letter written in elegant script. "Well, it's legit. Looks like you have a secret admirer, Al."

As soon as she spoke the words, the Ravenclaw table immediately drew into uproar, debating on who it could be, which soon filtered across the other three tables until the Great Hall was drowned out by chatter about Albus Potter's secret suitor.

"Is it true?" Lily Potter ran up with a lanky Gryffindor boy by her side.

"Looks that way," Albus murmured embarassedly, his head buried in his arms, as he handed the letter over to his younger sister. Oh how he hated to be the center of attention. Finally looking up, he realized his little sister wasn't alone, "Hey Thomas."

"Hey Al," he smiled before immediately scowling, the sight of a 4th year Ravenclaw approaching making his chocolate eyes flare in contempt, "Caldwell."

"Handler," the younger boy replied with as much distaste before putting on a charming grin and addressing the young redhead, "Hey Lils, how's your morning going?"

"Not as exciting as my brother's here," Lily glanced up at Henri Caldwell with a gleam in her eye, "I wish I had a secret admirer..." She huffed and looked between the two boys unimpressed before giving Al back the letter, "Who's owl sent it?"

"Looked like a school owl," Rose answered quickly, already decided to play the detective in this matter, "And the writing is neat but I think anyone could have written it, boy or girl..."

A grin graced Lily's face as she placed her hand on her brother's shoulder, ignoring the two boys on either side of her glaring at each other territorially, "Well that's good news. Maybe it's a boy... I hope it's not that Hufflepuff you dated."

"Me neither," Al immediately chimed in, looking at the Hufflepuff table subconsciously. The surprised and hurt look on Randy's face revealed that he wasn't the admirer. Al's green eyes continued to scan over the Great Hall for a guilty-looking culprits and immediately green exchanged with grey for an intense moment before Scorpius Malfoy looked away uninterested and continued his conversation with the female Zabini twin. Of course it wouldn't be him. That would be wishful thinking...

"Al? Hey Al!" A swat to the head brought Albus back to reality, Lily's brown eyes searching his with a smirk, "Are you trying to figure out who it is?"

"Yeah... no luck though, everyone looks as surprised as I do," Albus shrugged before returning back to his breakfast, taking his gift and setting it gingerly on his lap. Lily took that as her cue to leave her brother alone for the time being, knowing how much he despised being the center of attention. She left quietly with the Handler-boy while Henri Caldwell muttered some obscenities as he angrily returned to his seat.

"How does Lily do it?" Rose questioned as she watched the young Potter return to her seat at the Gryffindor table, her admiring shadow sitting down beside her, "Is she dating them both?"

"I think so," Albus replied in an amused tone, glad for the change of subject since he could still hear his housemates try to figure out who the secret admirer could be, "I don't know either. It's been like this since summer. Thomas spent a week with us followed immediately by Henri and neither seemed angry with Lily about it, only each other. But from what I hear, mum was popular with the boys too back when she was at school..." He visibly shuddered at the thought.

"Blimey she should teach a course," Rose breathed in admiration, aware that when it came to the opposite sex she was rendered useless, "Last year she had three pining for her didn't she? I'm lucky if I have one."

Albus chuckled and shook his head at the idea of Lily teaching a "how to get your man" course, before gently nudging Rose in the side, "Eh, you don't need that. There's someone out there for you... and someone that's not Colette Zabini,"

Rose Weasley glared at Albus in annoyance, before flicking some pumpkin juice at him and then falling into a fit of laughter at the protective look Albus gave as the liquid threatened to taint his new book.

()

A small knot began to swell within Scorpius' stomach as the morning owls flew in, his grey eyes searching out the one he had given his task to. A small smirk graced his lips before a soft voice broke him out of his concentration.

"What are you smirking about?" Colette asked as she brought her juice to her lips, her eyes trying to follow where Scorpius' had previously been, but he was too quick as averted his eyes.

"Nothing really, just thinking about ways to bother Ravenclaw-Potter today. He looks far too happy..." Scorpius trailed off as he gestured toward the Ravenclaw table, which sat a blushing and grinning Albus Potter as he revealed the book that was hidden underneath wrapping paper.

"Don't you think we're a little old to be bothering Ravenclaw-Potter..." Colette inquired jokingly, a grin spreading across her magenta-painted lips as Scorpius gave her a threatening glare.

"Never say that again," Scorpius warned, albeit the teasing tone laced in his words, "The day I'm too old to harass Potter will be the day his and my father become the best of friends."

Colette replied by rolling her eyes and taking a bite of her danish, smacking her brother's hand as he tried to claim her bacon, "Back off. You know better than to mess with my bacon, Brother Love."

Cody just gave her a sweetly innocent smile before turning to Adrian's plate and stealing his instead, the pale Slytherin simply sighing but making no move to reprimand the Zabini twin. Instead he grabbed another piece silently and ate it, his normally cold blue eyes warming slightly as Cody watched him.

"If only you were as nice as Adrian," Cody nudged his sister with a smirk.

"Adrian and nice in the same sentence?" Colette asked incredulously, leaning forward to look at the pale Slytherin in question with a joking smile on her face, "Laughable."

Adrian merely gave her an unimpressed glance before turning back to Cody, his stern eyes silently saying something to the tan Slytherin that forced Cody to turn forward and glare moodily at his eggs, suddenly losing his appetite.

Colette and Scorpius knew better than to ask what just transpired between the two boys, knowing that ever since they were children they always had a knack for using minimal words to express themselves to each other.

After a few minutes of silence, Rodney Goyle finally trudged his way toward the Slytherin table noisily, eyes bloodshot and face puffy.

"Been drinking again?" Scorpius mused as he shooed an ogling first year in front him aside to allow the thick Slytherin to sit across from him.

"Something like that," Goyle returned as he watched the first year retreat, immediately filling up his plate in case the food decided to vanish as it always had a knack of doing whenever one was too late coming in for breakfast.

It wasn't until voices started to rise about Albus' secret admirer that Scorpius dared to look at the Ravenclaw table again, inwardly surprised to find green eyes already looking at him curiously.

Force yourself to look placid... he chided himself as he tried to think about Quidditch or Grindylows, anything that wasn't Potter-related. Once he felt he had looked uninterested enough, he tore his gaze away and pretended to continue his conversation with his crew, even though his couldn't help the small smirk of triumph that grew onto his lips.

But it didn't last long, because soon the chatter died down to a mere whisper as Headmistress McGonagall 'sonorused' her voice for everyone to quiet down since she had an announcement to make.

"We have a couple surprises this morning which I think all of you will find interesting," she began, her voice soft but demanding for attention, "The first, as you well know, is that this year one of our own professors has unexpectedly left us. It is only temporary, but Professor Parvati Patil-Corner is expecting and wants to remain home during her pregnancy. I know several of you have asked me if there will be Divination this year since we're already into the third week of September and the answer is yes, because I am proud to announce that we have a new Divination teacher... Miss Cassia Farlow."

A strawberry-blond woman stood up slowly as she was announced, a small appreciative smile gracing her lips as the great hall applauded followed by murmurs. The woman looked no older than 25 yet her ice blue eyes looked as if they had already lived a lifetime. Her skin was smooth and the color of ivory cream with cheeks painted a healthy blush. Many of the boys began to whisper to each other about which classes they could switch in order to take Divination, forcing many of the girls to roll their eyes in annoyance.

"Alright, alright that's enough," McGonagall held her hands out in a shushing fashion as Miss Farlow took her seat again, "Since classes have already been going on for a couple weeks, Professor Farlow and I discussed that she will offer a basic Divination course as well as one for O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. levels and that they will simply be added to one's course schedule..."

A chorus of groans were silenced as the Headmistress continued, "Which means that yes, you can not trade one of your previously elected classes for Divination. We have decided that the mandatory elementary course will occur immediately after breakfast on Monday and Wednesdays and the other two more advanced classes will take place before dinner on alternating Tuesdays and Thursdays. Any questions on the matter can be further discussed with Professor Farlow as I'm sure she is extremely excited to get to know all of you..."

Miss Farlow swept the entire hall with one look and a pleasant smile in agreement.

"Moving on, we also have a new student joining us this year," she continued, "from America." Pausing for the predicted whispers of excitement, McGonagall continued, "She is coming to us from Salem's Institute for Witches and I expect you all to be accommodating. Since she wasn't here for the sorting earlier this month, we will commence with it now. Flair Ellison will you please join us!"

Minerva McGonagall gestured to the great hall doors and immediately every head snapped in that direction, anxiously anticipating whom this mysterious new student would be. They were answered when a flame of chopped red hair and an open black robe swooshed through the entrance, revealing a petite, sprightly girl who looked about sixteen and dressed in a short skirt, fishnets, combat boots and what looked to be a corset hugging her curves deliciously. If the boys had thought Professor Farlow was going to be a distraction they were certainly deceived by the sauntering treat gracing their eyes.

Flair merely smirked in amusement at the attention, her black-lined eyes staring confidently ahead as her shagged hair danced around her face haphazardly. Her hair was undoubtedly red. Not Weasley-red but fire engine red; it was obviously the work of a charm or Muggle-methods and it contrasted greatly with her pale skin.

The headmistress balked for a moment at the girl's attire before readjusting herself, her voice stern but friendly, "Apparently, Miss Ellison didn't receive her owl stating that she be dressed in her new school uniform before leaving her dormitory, but we'll be sure to clear that up..."

"Actually," Flair's bright voice rang with clear confidence as she reached the front of the Great Hall, standing near the stool and sorting hat that had magicked itself there, "Miss Ellison did receive the owl... She just figured it was foolish to wear a uniform for a school she wasn't even sorted into yet."

Her voice and smile reeked with politeness, but there was a hint of challenge there as well as in her yellow-speckled ice blue eyes, a fact that many students couldn't ignore. This one wasn't for the faint of heart.

McGonagall cleared her throat and blinked once before her eyes grew into a look of reprimand, surprised by the obvious stunt of insubordinate behavior but ruling it out as harmless and perhaps American wit, "To your sorting then."

Flair waited for the older woman to remove the hat before she sat upon the uncomfortable stool, clicking her combat boots together impatiently as she looked out at the student body, a look of boredom crossing her features.

The hall sat in a thick air of silence, each student subconsciously leaning forward as if the hat would merely whisper its answer.

"Gryffindor!" The hat shrieked almost immediately as the Gryffindor table applauded obnoxiously loud, some boys even having the audacity to stand and catcall while the other tables shared their disappointment.

Flair was directed toward the hooting table, amused at how the boys pushed each other to make room for her to sit. Instead, she caught eyes with Lily's red hair and strolled over to the 4th year instead, asking if she could sit beside her. Lily, ecstatic that the new girl was talking to her, pushed Thomas away roughly and smiled up at the older student, ignoring Thoams' saddened look of defeat.

"I like your hair," was all Flair said to Lily, as if that was her excuse for choosing to sit next to her.

Lily never had a chance to respond because the Headmistress announced that it was time for everyone to get ready for their first classes and that she wanted to have a mandatory meeting with the Head boy and girl and the prefects in the great hall once everyone dispersed.

()

"Damn, she 's badass," Colette murmured to Scorpius as they watched the students leave the Great Hall, along with the feisty new American, "I mean who wears lingerie during the day, at breakfast no less and then publicly mocks a teacher, no... tough-as-nails Headmistress McGonagall, without getting punished. I think my new fetish is Americans."

"Don't be absurd. She looked trashy at best," Scorpius countered, though he had to admit her ball-busting streak was something to be admired.

"Sexy trashy," she corrected, hazel eyes contemplative, "She didn't even look like a slag. Just walking hotness."

"Now you're speaking nonsense," Scorpius quipped with a tiny smirk as they walked over to where the rest of Hogwarts' elite was convening, the pale blonde purposefully sitting across from Albus. He inwardly celebrated as he watched the Ravenclaw squirm uncomfortably under his tense gaze.

As Colette went to join him, she paused by Rose Weasely and allowed her tan hand to graze the unsuspecting girl's shoulders as she walked past, "You're looking delicious today, Weasley."

Rose immediately shrugged her off with a disgusted scoff, socking Albus lightly in the arm when he dared to chuckle in amusement, "It's not funny. I think she's being serious."

"Oh, she's harmless, I'm sure," he responded as he watched the Zabini twin sit herself next to Scorpius, a pleased smile on her face. Him on the other hand… dangerous lot, he couldn't help but shiver as the grey eyes continued to watch him, forcing himself to glance down at his newly acquired book and allow a small smile to reach his lips as he fingered the cover almost lovingly. Something told Albus that this just might be his year.

The prefects were all in a flurry of conversations until James Potter and Blaire Finnigan quieted the room, both determined to get this over with before they all had to get to classes.

"All right," James started, his deep voice commanding attention in a way Albus knew his never would, "As you all know, we have a new student with us."

"Indeed..." Mark Gotard, the 7th year Slytherin prefect, cut James off with a satisfied nod and devilish smirk, causing some other boys in the room to snicker in agreement and the girls to roll their eyes in disgust.

"Gotard, don't force me to take points," Blaire warned before glancing at James, allowing him to continue.

"Right. Well she's going to need a student to shadow her for a couple weeks. Give her a proper tour, help her catch up with her courses and such."

Several male hands immediately flew up at the prospect and Albus merely chuckled and shook his head, pausing with a blush when a certain pair of grey orbs continued to study him curiously.

"We were thinking," Blaire chimed in, realizing this was a futile attempt at civility when hormonal boys were concerned, "that Albus Potter would be willing to assist her."

"M-Me?" Albus sputtered, suddenly sitting up in his chair and turning his attention away from Scorpius' burning gaze.

"Him?" Mark shot out, unimpressed.

"Yes," Blaire replied coolly, giving the 7th year Slytherin a no-nonsense look, "Albus, you practically have every class with her already and Merlin knows you're ahead and can manage this small task..."

After watching the fiery redhead talk back to the headmistress this morning, Albus highly doubted the American would be a small task... or even manageable for that matter.

"But she's not even in my house..." Albus tried to rationalize quietly, hoping it didn't sound like he was whining. He didn't want to turn down an opportunity to help someone new out, but at the same time he was fearful that he might not be useful at all to the obviously confident young witch.

"That hardly matters," Blaire interjected smoothly, gazing at Albus with warm amber eyes, "We just figured you'd be the best-suited candidate. You know how to make people feel at ease, Al."

Albus sighed softly as Blaire gave him an encouraging smile before nodding his head, "Fine. I'll do it."

"Good, now that that's settled, stay tuned for patrol duties this week. They'll be posted in the prefect common room later today," James finished as he began to grab his belongings, a sign that the meeting was over.

"He was probably only chosen because he's a queer and she won't be able to seduce him," Arthur Wimbly, 5th year Slytherin prefect, teased loudly to Mark.

"20 points from Slytherin!" Blaire shot out irritably as she adjusted her red and gold scarf, shooting Albus an apologetic look as the Ravenclaw's face all but resembled a tomato.

When Albus looked over at the Slytherins, however, his face slowly returned to its natural color when he saw no humor dance in Scorpius' grey depths, but rather a look of malicious contempt as he glared at his fellow housemates.

That's odd. Usually he'd be the one taunting me... Albus thought curiously but was deterred from his thought-process by Rose grabbing his elbow and directing him to James, who wanted to brief his little brother in on the new girl.

()

Albus had to admit he was dreading meeting up with the new redhead tonight to discuss what times they would meet and to give her a tour of Hogwarts. It wasn't that she didn't seem nice, he was just positive she would walk all over him and he really didn't need a reminder of how un-intimidating he could be. Even Rose could be scary when she was mad and plenty of students were afraid of little Lily Potter's wrath. But not Albus. People believed Albus Potter was as harmless as a Hufflepuff, baffling most with his lack of a competitive streak and his dwindling self-confidence… even his own family was puzzled by it even after sixteen years.

The Ravenclaw sighed in an annoyed fashion as he waited in the hall for Flair to arrive, so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't hear the approaching click of designer shoes come his way. Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped itself around his waist and his back was pressed against a hard, warm body. Before he could scream out in protest, a cold slender hand covered his shocked lips.

"Shh," the low voice growled in his ear, "We wouldn't want anyone thinking you weren't enjoying yourself, Potter."

Albus struggled in the solid arms, knowing it was pointless really, because he already knew who was holding him captive and in truth he hardly minded.

Once the Ravenclaw stopped resisting, the voice picked up again, its masculine velvet tone encompassing Al's senses, "That's a good boy, Potter." Suddenly a wet tongue flicked out to tease the shell of Albus' ear, forcing a soft moan to escape his lips, muffled by the cold hand that now turned warm from the smaller boy's breath, "Oh you like that do you? Thought so. You just can't help yourself, can you queer?"

Something about being called 'queer' twice in one day snapped something in Albus' and he found himself uncharacteristically stomping on the designer shoe to his left before turning around to push the offender away from him, his green eyes blazed with annoyance, "Don't call me that, Malfoy."

Disgruntled from the sudden outburst, Scorpius tried not to wince in pain as his left foot began to throb mercilessly from the attack upon it, "How dare you… Do you know how much these shoes cost?"

"Obviously not enough to afford you a decent personality," Albus shot back crossly, his eyes daring to meet Scorpius' and hold their gaze.

"You're going to regret that," Scorpius spoke darkly as he approached the Ravenclaw, mildly surprised when the shorter boy didn't flinch or make a move to step back. Pale hands gripped the blue and bronze scarf and tugged harshly, forcing an uncontrollable yelp to escape Al's stubborn lips as he was once again pressed up against the taller blonde, "Now you listen. Just because you have a secret admirer or some bollocks like that doesn't mean anything. You're still pathetic."

Their faces were inches away from each other now and Albus felt his resolve quickly begin to dissipate, hoping it didn't show in his eyes. Soon though, his green depths fell upon Scorpius' pale pink lips fighting his desire to just say screw it all and kiss the bloke just once. But he didn't, because he swore those tempting lips were coming closer to his and saving him the trouble of making the first move. Instead, he felt the warmth from Scorpius' body disappear from his own and a flash of red hair replace it.

"You heard him… He said to leave him alone," Flair shot out as she stood between the two boys, her blue eyes fierce and determined.

Did I? Albus thought to himself, not remembering speaking any words but assuming he did since the new girl was so adamant about it.

"Now girls are fighting your battles," Scorpius growled and ran his hands through his hair in annoyance before turning his attention to Flair, "And just because you've managed to seduce the entire male population in one day doesn't mean you have me wrapped around your bloody little finger, American." He spat the last word out like an incurable disease.

With a small huff of annoyance, Scorpius turned around and left, his voice carrying his threat throughout the hall, "Just wait, Potter. You'll be alone soon enough and then we'll finish what we started..."

Albus swallowed before looking at Flair, never having been so grateful and yet so disappointed that someone had come to his rescue. He knew his cheeks were flushed and his pupils were dilated from desire but he couldn't bring himself to care. This girl knew nothing about him and he planned to keep it that way.

"So… is he your ex-boyfriend or something?" Flair quipped with a curious grin and tilt of her head, her flaming locks falling over one eye playfully.

"W-What?" Albus sputtered for the second time that day, sure his eyes were bulging from their sockets.

 

Next time on Jigsaw Love:

Another gift arrives for our dear Albus, the smooth Colette gets tongue-tied around a certain redhead, Flair figures out Al's secret and Scorpius overhears an intimate conversation between the sheets with two of his roommates. Stay tuned!


	4. That's What Silencing Charms Are For

"You know? Blondie... The walking modern-day Greek God?" Flair gestured with the jerk of her head toward Scorpius' retreating form, her grin still plastered on her face.

"N-No," Albus took a moment to a breathe before continuing, "He's not my anything. He's just a git."

"A cute one though, but not my type," she shook her head with the crinkling of her nose, "I think he likes you."

Albus allowed his face to contort into an expression of stunned silence and incredulity, his green eyes boring into the American's for a moment before speaking, "That's ridiculous. He just teases me because we have some family rivalry that's been going on for decades."

"Oh, how very Romeo and Juliet of you!" Flair clasped her hands together in amusement, blue eyes filled to the brim with mirth, "Hmm... I think you'd be Juliet. He's far too masculine to play the femme."

The astonished look in the boy's eyes had Flair grinning before holding out her hand, "I'm sorry. That's really rude of me isn't it? I'm Flair Ellison. I suppose we should meet each other properly before I assume you're a bottom."

Albus, unable to explain his reaction at the moment, took the shorter girl's hand cautiously and shook it, aware of how firm her grip was despite her tiny form, "Albus Potter... Do you always do that?"

"Do what?" she raised a curious eyebrow.

"Speak your mind like that?"

"Oh that... yeah," Flair exasperated loudly and shrugged her shoulders, "Seems to be getting me into trouble today. I think I'm the only one who says things clearly around here... and I'm not talking about the accent."

"We're British."

"Well that's no excuse," the redhead put her hands on her hips, "So you're saying I'm this way because I'm an American?"

"More than likely," Albus reasoned, allowing a small smile to graze his lips in mirror with her own.

"I guess that's decent logic. But I'm not going to change for you people."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from a Gryffindor," Albus mused as he tapped his chin with his fingers, realizing that maybe the new student wouldn't be so bad after all.

"What's all that about anyway? Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, you know..."

Albus sighed gently before motioning for Flair to follow him, figuring he'd kill two birds with one stone and start the tour while explaining the history of each house to her.

Two hours later with 10 minutes before curfew, Albus gestured to the portrait of the fat lady, "And this is your common room, as I'm sure you've already figured out."

"I had no idea the castle was so intricate..." Flair's dazed eyes forced themselves to blink her back to awareness, "I'm going to have to sit and draw myself a map."

"That would be helpful," Albus agreed, "especially if you get caught on one of the moving staircases and they decide to take you elsewhere. I think they do it on purpose."

"Sweet Jesus," she muttered as she wiped sleep away from her eyes, "Well at least I'll have you around for a couple weeks to keep me in line right?"

Albus couldn't help but mirror her smile once again, finding her vivacious nature to be rather infectious, "But of course. Besides, I doubt the male population at Hogwarts would let me live if something happened to you."

Flair's bright laugh woke up the fat lady but she didn't apologize, calling the woman an 'old broad in need of some excitement', much to the fat lady's horror.

"Now she'll never let you in."

"Eh, she'll live," Flair shrugged again before crinkling her nose, a habit Albus was sure had to be connected with her thinking process, "Boys are funny aren't they? Some fresh new meat comes into town and they swear they've been vegetarians for far too long."

"That's one, very vivid way of putting it. It also probably has to do with the fact that you wore a corset to breakfast," he teasingly reprimanded.

"Hmph. I've always thought that lingerie was wasted in the bedroom," Flair stated matter-of-factly before grinning, "I'll tell you a secret though..."

Albus subconsciously leaned in closer, his green eyes soft with curiosity.

"I could care less if the boys like me here," she said rather loudly as if it weren't a secret at all, a couple of the portraits shushing her, "In fact, I care more about what the female population think. If you catch my drift..." She winked once with a devious smirk.

"Oh you are a wicked one," Albus couldn't help but chuckle as he shook his head, silently mourning for the straight boys that would be rather depressed to learn such truths.

"Eh, I try," Flair shrugged nonchalantly despite her devilish grin before speculating the Ravenclaw, "And from what I hear, you have the opposite problem..."

"Merlin, can no one keep their mouths shut around here?"

"There goes your theory on being British."

Albus and Flair shared a chuckle before being interrupted by the fat lady, reprimanding them both about curfew.

"That's my cue," Flair sighed before speaking the password and entering through the portrait hole, pausing and looking back at Albus, "Oh one more thing..."

"What's that?"

"Are you an artist?"

"W-What?"

"You stutter a lot, you know. Is it a condition?"

"N-No," Albus stammered again, feeling his cheeks burn in indignation, "Why do you think I'm an a-artist?"

"No reason really. I just thought I smelled charcoal on you."

Albus was about to refute her accusations but he could tell by the knowing look in her icy eyes that his secret was discovered, "I'm not going to ask how you know what charcoal smells like but yes, I am. But don't tell anyone," he added quickly as an afterthought, he hands held out helplessly, "I just don't need people knowing."

"Scout's honor," Flair mock-saluted him, wanting to ask why she should keep it a secret but letting it go for now, "And just so you know, I'm an artist too."

Albus tilted his head curiously as the portrait sealed the entrance and the girl within as if hiding his secrets with it.

How curious...

()

"Is she absolutely vile?" Rose immediately piped up as soon as Albus entered the common room, obviously waiting for her best friend to return with juicy gossip.

"Actually no," Albus started, a small smile forming on his lips, "She's bloody fantastic!"

"Excuse me?" Rose got off the couch and approached Albus, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him gently, "Have you completely lost it?"

"Stop that, will you?" Al swatted her aggressive hands away as he walked past her, heading to his dorm room.

"Sorry, I just thought I heard incorrectly. Bloody fantastic?"

"Yes. She's not as terrible as she first comes off. In fact, she's like a breath of fresh air," he continued, smile still in place, "I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks."

And with that, the Ravenclaw escaped to his room, leaving behind an extremely confused and irritated Rose Weasley.

()

Extremely disgruntled, Scorpius lie awake in his bed replaying the scene between him and Potter over and over again before the American popped in, finding that none of it had gone at all the way he planned. He never expected Albus to suddenly stand up for himself and he certainly never expected to find himself leaning into Potter's damn tempting mouth and almost kissing him.

"I'm pathetic," he murmured to himself before quieting, listening as footsteps swiftly teetered across the cold dungeon floor followed by the rustling of bed curtains and then sheets. Scorpius relaxed and turned onto his side as he curled into the fetal position, realizing it was nothing but Cody's nightly ritual of going into Adrian's bed. The boys had been doing it since second year and Scorpius knew it was nothing serious. Cody and Colette Zabini were both notorious cuddlers by nature and whenever they had sleepovers growing up, Scorpius was always Colette's cuddle-buddy and Adrian was Cody's; Rodney refused to let anyone touch him without the promise of a hex so no one bothered to sleep in or near his sleeping bag, not that they would fit anyway with his large, bulky body.

Scorpius had to admit that he found it odd that Adrian would still allow Cody to sleep in his bed now that they were soon approaching seventeen, but the pale blonde knew better than to bring up Thames' soft spot. The tall blue-eyed raven-haired boy was one of those quiet-but-deadly types and Scorpius was smart enough to know he'd never survive a duel with the other wizard. So it just remained one of those dirty secrets that roommates kept private, much like the many untold secrets housed by the pureblood families they all came from.

Scorpius felt his eyelids become heavy as sleep threatened to take over him, images of Potter's face seeping into his lucid dreams, before a hushed whisper tore him away from his mid-sleep state.

"Adri, I'm sorry..." the soft voice murmured, followed by the rustling of sheets, "Don't be like this."

Adri? Scorpius almost laughed out loud, imagining the normally passive boy's face if someone dared to called him Adri. Ever since he was little, the Slytherin demanded to be called Adrian or Thames. No exceptions.

"I don't know what I'm being like, Cody," Adrian retorted, the other boy's name sounding like it tasted awful in his mouth.

"This. You won't even look at me. What did I do wrong?"

"This morning doesn't ring any bells?"

There was a long pause and Scorpius thought perhaps the matter was dropped and so he tried to sleep again.

"When I said how nice you were?" Cody asked in disbelief, scoffing a few minutes later, "Oh, that's ridiculous. It was a joke."

"Maybe to them, but to you it wasn't. What did I say about you being all sentimental in public?"

Scorpius frowned at the word "sentimental" wondering where this conversation was heading.

"Look, I'm sorry. But, but we're best friends... I'm allowed to compliment you."

"Yeah, well what about Charms today? I'm pretty sure best friends don't try to hold each other's hands..." Scorpius' frown deepened, trying to recollect Charms class earlier today in his memory, "And besides, do best friends do this?" A silence followed by rustling sheets and a gentle moan escaped the bed next to Scorpius' and the blonde had to force himself not to sit up and demand what the bloody hell was going on. Were his best friends kissing? That would be so wrong. So very wrong.

"No, I guess not," Cody replied breathlessly, obvious pleasure laced in his voice.

"So please, if you want this to continue you can't just start being all touchy in public. You know I hate that anyway..." Adrian muttered as his lips were obviously captured again by Cody's, his words lost in the other boy's inviting mouth.

Scorpius wanted to die. Bloody hell... my two best friends are getting it on in the bed next to me and I can't even get Potter alone for more than five minutes. Life is so unfair. And wait, why do I want Potter alone for more than five minutes? This whole secret admirer thing is supposed to be a huge prank... right? It's not something real. I'm just physical with Potter because I know he can't stand it. Yeah, that's it. But still, not bloody fair.

Another soft moan escaped the bed and Scorpius coughed loudly, shifting in his own bed with the hopes that that would get them to stop.

"Shit, we're being too loud," Adrian whispered harshly, stroking Cody's face gently, "We should go to sleep anyway."

"You're no fun," Cody whispered back, playfully pushing Adrian's chest before allowing himself to be turned around and become encased in the taller boy's arms, the dark-haired Slytherin nuzzling Cody's neck lovingly as tan and pale skin mixed in a tangle of limbs. "Sometimes I wish you were like this all the time..."

"Don't ruin the moment," Thames warned before placing a tender kiss in the nook of Cody's neck, eliciting a pleasurable groan from the tanned boy's throat.

"Adri?"

"Yeah?" Adrian sighed as if he already knew what was about to leave Cody's lips.

"Is it true you shagged Lavinia Woodhouse last week?"

"Do you think it's true?"

"I'm not sure..."

"It's not true. Not completely," he clarified, tightening his hold on Cody expectantly as the other boy tried to pull away angrily, "We just snogged for a bit and she wanked me off. No big deal."

Silence. Scorpius wasn't sure how much more he could take. He already had his pillow pressing his head into the mattress and yet he could still hear their lover's quarrel. He was fairly sure he would have nightmares starring his best friends embracing and spouting sweet nothings to each other tonight.

"Are you mad at me?" Adrian's question hung thick in the air like the lowering of a heavy velvet curtain.

"No, not really I guess..." Cody sighed and pressed back into Adrian's warm body, "It's not like we're boyfriends or anything. That would be silly..."

"I don't do relationships, you know that."

"Yeah..."

"And you know I don't allow this with anyone else right? So let's just go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning."

"Sure," Cody agreed half-heartily before whispering quietly, "I love you."

Adrian responded with a gentle nuzzle and kiss to the back of Cody's neck, which seemed to satisfy the Zabini twin enough to allow sleep to over take him.

Once he was sure the room was silent, Scorpius turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling, eyes wide and unveiled to truths he was tempted to obliviate himself from.

Why me?

()

Albus loved Saturdays.

The weekend couldn't come more quickly in Albus' opinion, especially since the sun decided to pay a visit on the last few days of September. In the matter of a week, Al had already received two gifts from his secret admirer: the book and a box of his favorite sweets from Honeydukes with a rather seductive note claiming, 'hopefully the sweets will satisfy your mouth since I cannot.' Yet he was still no closer to solving the mystery of his blossoming love life any more than Lily was willing to choose between Henri and Thomas. But hey, the Ravenclaw wasn't complaining, because who in their right mind would complain about receiving gifts?

Albus rounded up the box of chocolates and his art supplies quietly, not wanting to wake his dorm mates, and hid them in one of his large satchels before releasing the latch on Leonardo's cage and preparing the ferret with his collar and leash. Al and the ferret left quietly and headed down to the common room, waiting patiently for his artist-in-crime (as they liked to call themselves) to join him. Almost instantly, a slender waif of a young man entered the common room with a sheepish grin.

"Hello, Al."

"Hey Jeremy," Al smiled back, "Sleep well?"

"Always," came the easy reply as Jeremy Holmes adjusted his thin glasses, his shagged blonde hair falling into his face rebelliously, "Well what are we waiting for? I assume Leo is joining us today?" He gestured to the ferret with a knowing grin.

"That he is. He's getting far too antsy up there and winter's not even here yet. I doubt the real Leonardo DiCaprio was this fussy... Lead the way," Albus blushed at little at his rambling but continued to smile, feeling exceptionally uplifted as he followed the 7th year Ravenclaw out of the common room and toward the grounds. "I hope you don't mind, I invited someone to join us today..."

Jeremy glanced at Al with an unreadable expression before that same easy smile returned, "I don't mind as long as you don't. You're the one with the big secret." He teased lightly with a wink as they continued their journey toward the lake, "Who knows? Maybe by next term you'll finally take that art class they offer here..."

"Baby steps, Jer. Baby steps," Albus warned jokingly as Jeremy laughed before looking ahead, a tussle of flames perched against a tree causing him to grin.

"Isn't that the American?" Jeremy quipped curiously before continuing, "You're always full of surprises, Al. I'll give you that."

The morning was slightly chilly but the three artists didn't complain as they worked silently, Jeremy's warming charm keeping them satiated. It wasn't until Flair's head bobbed up suddenly that anyone spoke.

"Everything alright, Flair?" Al asked, concerned, finding her blue eyes hard to read.

"Yeah... Just thought I heard something..." She shrugged her shoulders lightly as she forced a smile upon her lips once more, continuing her still life of Leonardo the ferret as he remained tied to the tree nearest them. It smells like Blondie... she thought off-handedly, before risking a peek again, finally spotting the swift movement of a blonde head duck behind a tree. Flair couldn't help the knowing chuckle that escaped her lips, much to Al and Jeremy's confusion. "Oh, it's nothing... I'm afraid Leo's foot looks more like a chicken leg... I'm terrible at reality. Cartoons are much more my style..."

Al had to agree with a sympathetic smile, unaware of the fact that his "secret admirer" was indeed not far off, spying on him with angry steel eyes. As Albus continued to study Flair's picture, he couldn't help but look at her small hands, which were marred with old teeth and scratch marks that seemed to lead up to her covered forearms. Flair, feeling Al's questioning gaze, automatically pulled out a pair of knitted gloves and put them on silently, her blue eyes daring him to ask what was obviously plaguing his curiosity.

He didn't and opted to pop a chocolate into his mouth instead.

()

The Slytherin watched in silence as the three students went about their merry drawing and chocolate-eating ways, ignorant of his presence though he feared for a moment that the redhead saw him. Scorpius was extremely curious as to what Potter was drawing and then he realized he had no idea that the Ravenclaw could draw in the first place. It made him wonder what other secrets the boy had been hiding and he hated how that thought made him feel warm inside again.

What does he think he's doing with her? That American? And who's that cute boy and what does he want with my Potter? And oh Merlin, why are you starting to look at boys more often now? And since when was Potter yours? And why is he bloody hell sharing the chocolates? Scorpius thought miserably as he peered out from behind a nearby tree, instantly berating himself for being so foolish and idiotically irrational for coming out to spy on Albus in broad daylight. What am I becoming? Some obsessive fan girl? Ugh, I need to get laid.

With that last thought burning in his mind, Scorpius decided to turn around and head back to the castle in a huff, but not before thinking how odd yet slightly adorable Albus' albino ferret was and how it suited the cute and quirky Ravenclaw... and how much he was going to hex himself later for thinking such terribly sappy things.

When the Slytherin returned to the common room slightly frazzled, Colette was perched on one of the green sofas that housed Adrian and Cody's bodies pressed tightly together, caught up in a heated game of wizards' chess. Scorpius shuddered involuntarily as he eyed the two 6th years, unable to look at them with the same innocence now that he knew the truth. Even now, they were far too close to each other than was normal for friends playing chess, best friends even, and Scorpius' eyes caught Cody's hand that tenderly rested on Adrian's knee even if the stubborn boy keep trying to nudge it off. How Scorpius hadn't seen what was going on between his two friends greatly bothered him and made him rethink if he was really as smart as he thought he was... but then his Malfoy pride interceded and quickly refuted that thought as rubbish.

"Afternoon, love," Colette jumped up off the arm of the couch and kissed Scorpius' cheek with a grin before frowning, finally noticing the dark expression in his eyes that looked right through her, "Scorp, what's wrong?"

Adrian and Cody looked up at the same time with innocent expressions, before returning to their game. An evil smirk, however, ghosted itself on Adrian's lips.

Did the bastard know he knew? Did he find this all one big poke-at-Scorpius game? "Nothing," the blonde croaked out, "Can I talk to you for a minute. Privately."

"Yeah, of course," Colette nodded before following Scorpius up to his room, unsure of what had gotten her best friend all shaken up.

Scorpius waited until Colette closed the door and he put a silencing charm on the room before speaking, sounding on the verge of hysterics, "Did you know about Adrian and Cody? Please tell me no so I don't feel like such a bloody lunatic."

Colette raised an eyebrow at Scorp's uncharacteristically insecure burst before allowing a small knowing look to settle onto her face, "Yes. I did."

"Wh- Wh- How?" Scorpius finally choked out, feeling as if he didn't know his friends at all.

"It's not a big deal really. It wasn't something that happened suddenly. It just kinda grew into more..." she lifted a shoulder of condolence, "I guess I noticed it last term when Adrian came over for the holidays. They were just different, you know? More touchy, sentimental... and then the kissing under the mistletoe kind of gave it away..."

"OKAY, that's enough of that thank you!" Scorpius had closed the distance between them and covered her scandalous mouth with his hand, "I heard quite enough of their kissing the other night."

Colette's eyes widened knowingly before she pulled her face away from his grasp and fell into a fit of laughter, her hazel eyes brimming with tears, "Oh you poor thing! You must be traumatized!"

"Malfoy's do not become traumatized," Scorpius spurred indignantly, "I was just caught off guard. That's all."

"Yeah, traumatizingly caught off guard."

"That's not a word, Zabini."

"Like hell it isn't. Works for me," she stuck her tongue out before pulling out her lip gloss and applying it to her lips, smacking her approval as the cinnamon flavor seduced her taste buds, "You're gonna have to get over it, leader. I think they might be the real deal if Adrian ever gets over his commitment-phobe complex. I think Cody's the only one that can handle him for long periods of time and vice versa."

"I don't want to hear this," Scorpius covered his ears immaturely and began to walk toward his bedroom door with every intention of finding Goyle to procure some liquor to burn away such unsplendid thoughts.

Colette reached out and grabbed his arm to halt his steps, a soft look in her eyes, "Fine, we won't talk about it. For now. But sooner or later you're going to have to realize that it's okay for people to fall in love. We all can't be asexual like you."

"Asexual? Asexual? Who said I was asexual?" Scorpius asked horrified in a tone that risked pubescent octaves, unable to mask his baffled expression, "That's almost as bad as being called a Eunich!"

Colette had to press her glossy lips together to keep from laughing, "Well, I assume you are. Considering all your conquests are either lies or over-exaggerations from the truth to appease our boys out there."

"That's just cold."

"But it's true right? You tell me everything, remember?" Colette added with a smile, annoying Scorpius greatly.

"Yeah, I should stop doing that," he muttered, "But I'm not asexual. I just haven't found anyone that I've really been attracted to, male or female." Well that's technically a lie...

"Yea... asexual," she teased further before patting Scorpius' back in a friendly way, "Look, I'm sure there's someone out there for you... a mirror perhaps..." She shrugged with a mocking grin.

"Oh shove off," Scorpius pushed her away playfully before running his hands through his hair and exiting his bedroom, Colette close behind with a triumphant look on her face.

Scorpius hated Saturdays.

()

9 P.M. came quicker than Colette would have liked, but when she found out she'd be doing her Saturday night patrol with Rose Weasley, she instantly perked up at the prospect of getting under the girl's skin. They were barely fifteen minutes into their patrol before the Slytherin started.

"So Weasley, how about you and I ditch this patrol-stuff and go up to the Astronomy Tower?" she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively before continuing, completely ignoring the shocked expression on Rose's freckled face, "You could explain the constellations to me while I gaze at the stars in your eyes..."

Rose squeaked uncomfortably at the playfully lustful gaze the Slytherin was giving her, determined to keep her cool and yet failing miserably, "T-This is fine. Besides, I'm not like that..."

"You don't like looking at stars?" Colette teased further, purposefully coming closer so her shoulder brushed with Weasley's, "From what I recall Astronomy is one of your favorite subjects."

"No, I mean I'm not like that. You know..."

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about, beautiful. Best be more specific," she reached out to touch the girl's cheek, chuckling softly as Rose pulled back as if she were burned.

"I'm not a lesbian!" she shouted, louder than she expected to, immediately blushing from her outburst.

"Have you ever tried?"

"I don't think it works that way..." Rose cleared her throat as she stopped walking, her brown eyes trying to remain steady.

"I suppose you're right," Colette shrugged non-committedly before adding, "But if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."

"I won't."

"Just leaving the offer open," she added lightly with the wave of her hand before walking again, assuming the girl would follow.

"How are you so nonchalant about it all?" Rose began after a few minutes of concentrated silence, as if Colette were a puzzle to figure out.

"About flirting with you?" Colette asked, sighing as Rose nodded her head, "Well, I don't know really. No offense... you're kind of fun to rile up. Trust me, I never expect this to go anywhere..." She gestured between the two of them, smiling at Rose's suddenly insulted face, "Oh come on, I know you like blokes. Don't pretend this offends you."

Rose sighed gently before nodding in agreement, a small smile finally spreading on her face, "So you really do all this just because it's fun?"

"Yeah," Colette confessed, a twinkle in her hazel eyes, "Slithering under people's skin is kind of a Slytherin fetish, don't you agree?"

Rose laughed at that, but stopped as soon as she spotted red hair.

"Hey you, it's past curfew," Rose tried to muster her most authoritative tone, trying to keep her unexplained prejudice of the American from tainting her voice.

"I know," Flair replied assuredly, glancing at a rather large piece of parchment, "I'm fucking lost."

As soon as Colette caught sight of Flair, her tan skin flushed and she cleared her throat lightly, desperately wanting a drink to soothe her parched throat. It had been about a week since the American's arrival and Colette hadn't been able to get the redhead out of her mind. She had a mind to resort to stalking but her pride was far too great to indulge that particular hobby, unlike her blonde best friend (even though she had no clue as to anything Malfoy was up to as of late).

"Ellison, is it?" Rose continued, brown eyes scrutinizing the parchment, which looked very similar to a map, except it was riddled with cartoon versions of students and exaggerated depictions of rooms and hallways throughout the castle, "What's this?"

"It's a map," she replied as if it were obvious, "Albus thought it might help me find my way around Hogwarts," Flair lifted her ice blue eyes to the Ravenclaw, crinkling her nose slightly "You're Rose Weasley right? Albus' cousin?"

"And best friend," she added protectively, cursing herself for sounding so childish.

"...Right," Flair nodded her head with a knowing smirk before turning her attention to the other prefect, head tilted curiously as she studied the nervous-looking girl, "And who are you? I like your mohawk."

"M-Me?" Colette pointed to herself with a blink before clearing her throat yet again, trying to get a hold of the unusual flushing that was spreading throughout her body, "I'm Colette Zabini, Slytherin Prefect."

"Flair Ellison," the smaller girl grinned in welcome as she reached her hand out, shaking Colette's firmly and watching in amusement as the Slytherin pulled back fiercely with a blush.

Rose raised an eyebrow toward her fellow prefect, trying to decipher Colette's strange behavior before glancing back at the new girl, realization dawning on her. I think I may have just found my solution for getting Zabini off my back. "So, you said you were lost? I'm sure Zabini here would love to help you find your way back to the Gryffindor Common Room... wouldn't you?"

Colette blinked a couple of times before finally registering what Rose suggested, "Oh, Oh sure! Yeah. Love to."

Rose shook her head with a smirk, "I'll be fine. We were almost done patrolling anyway. I'll just finish up."

And with that, Rose waved them both off before heading down the corridor alone, inwardly celebrating her hopeful future of Zabini-free days.

Flair watched the Ravenclaw leave with a small shrug of indifference before looking back at Colette, "I don't think she likes me very much. But what's a girl to do?"

Colette gave her a weak smile of condolence with a shoulder raise before daring to come closer, wanting to take a look at the curious map, "Did you draw this yourself?"

"Yup," Flair claimed proudly, tilting the paper so Colette could get a better view, "It's been really helpful, except for tonight. I'm not sure which floor I'm on."

"Second."

"That's all? Damn," Flair muttered as she glanced around, wanting to memorize the sight and smells of the place. Suddenly, she smelled vanilla and her blue eyes fell onto Colette, flashing yellow for a moment, "Are you wearing vanilla?"

Colette jumped a little from the change in Flair's eyes, clearing her throat for the third time in ten minutes before responding, "Yea... it's my favorite smell."

"Mine too, followed by cinnamon."

Marry me... Colette inwardly shook her head at the nonsense that was suddenly spreading itself there. Merlin, get a hold of yourself. This is embarrassing. You're acting like she's a bloody Veela or like you fell in a cauldron filled with love potion.

"So," Colette began awkwardly as she took a couple steps in the opposite direction of Rose, "Let's get you back to your dorm before the professors find out, yeah?"

"Sounds like a plan," Flair agreed, following Colette in stride as she looked the girl over once, choosing to not comment on the girl's incessant blushing. "I really like your look, by the way. Everyone here seems so conservative. I always imagined British people being more edgy..."

"Right?" Colette breathed, easing herself into a comfortable stride, "I agree. I'm just lucky my dad is going through something of a mid-life crisis and my mum is such a pushover. Otherwise, Merlin knows what I would be forced to look like."

Flair smiled softly as this, running her hands through her own chopped hair, "Yea, my parents gave up on me years ago. Once I got my hands on Muggle hair-dye there was no turning back."

"I was wondering how you managed to make it so bright. I like it though. It suits you," Colette complimented, finally starting to feel a bit like herself again. At least her heart stopped beating like she was hiding in the woods from a centaur.

"I think so too," Flair agreed before reaching out to touch the shaved stars on the other girls head, "Do you do these yourself?"

Colette visibly shuddered from the warm touch, her heartbeat erratically picking up it's beat again, "S-Sometimes. Usually my brother does it for me. He's uses a muggle shaver, but we just don't tell dad."

"Nice. Is he a... Slytherin too?" she paused as she looked over Colette's uniform, remembering what Al had told her about the houses.

"Yeah, we're twins. You have any siblings?"

"Nope. Just me... but I think I'm enough of a handful for my parents."

"Do you mind me asking why you transferred? You're the first American we've ever had here... at least since I started school."

A small sigh and a concentrated expression fell onto Flair's normally bright face, making Colette immediately regret her question.

"I'm sorry, I was just curious..."

"No, it's okay. It's just hard to explain," Flair scratched the back of her neck absently with the crinkle of her nose before continuing, "I guess it's best to say that my school didn't want me back. I did something careless and got kicked out. My godmother's British and told my family about Hogwarts and how it was a much better school for me and next thing I know, I'm disrupting your breakfast and being put into a house full on overzealous pigheads."

Colette coughed back her amusement, "You better be careful whom you say that too, you know? Are you sure you're not a Slytherin? Gryffindors are well-known for being prideful..."

"Well, yeah, why else would I be in there?" Flair gave an arrogantly smug smile and any thought Colette had about her being put in the wrong house faded.

"Ah, there's that Gryffindor spirit," Colette teased and lightly pushed Flair's shoulder, aware of yet again how the girl's skin seemed to burn under her fingertips, even through her clothing, "Merlin, you're warm."

"Yeah..." Flair trailed off vaguely, "Can't help it. My muggle friend says I exude a lot of energy. She's one of those new-age types... which is kind of funny considering we're witches. New-age seems so boring now. My parents still don't understand. They're both Muggles."

"I can't imagine having Muggle parents," Colette started off-handedly, but caught herself at the cautiously offended look in Flair's eyes, "Not that I'm prejudice or anything like that, despite my parents' opinions. I'm just saying I imagine it must be difficult to explain the magical world to them when they can't experience it themselves."

"Yeah, they rarely ask questions. I think they'd rather pretend it doesn't exist, you know?" Flair shrugged lightly before ascending the staircase that led to the portrait of the fat lady, "Oh, here we are. My knight in shining armor, how ever shall I repay you?"

"Funny, Ellison."

"Please, call me Flair. I know it's not customary around here, but I hate how formal everything sounds."

"Alright… Flair," Colette practiced, finding she rather enjoyed how the odd name rolled around her in her mouth like a sweet candy.

"Perfect. Now, for your reward," the redhead smiled cheekily before leaning up to kiss the girl's cheek softly, whispering in her ear, "I'll just have to take you out for a drink... or two." She pulled away with a devilish grin before speaking the password and entering the open portrait swiftly.

Colette remained rooted in place, too stunned to move except to place a hand on her burning cheek while muttering, "Merlin's Beard, I think I've lost it. Just wait until dad hears. 'Father, I've fallen for an American Muggle-born Gryffindor. Oh, and she's a girl.' Yep, I'm fucked."

"Do you mind?" the fat lady reprimanded, not appreciating a foul-mouthed Slytherin interrupting her beauty sleep which she obviously needed plenty.

Colette waved off the painting with a sneer and turned to head in for the night, a satisfied grin unable to leave her face despite the idea of Blaise Zabini's wrath lingering in the back of her mind.

A/N: Poor Scorpius. I really do love to torture him.

Next time on Jigsaw Love:

Albus' next gift gives him a hint as to whom the secret admirer is, Flair is acting unusually moody and winds up in the Hospital Wing for a couple days while Rose and Al decide to pay her a visit with odd results, and Scorpius is starting to feel the strain of infatuation, threatening his position with The Serpents.


	5. Mouths: For Kissing, Not Spilling Secrets

The end of September came far too quickly in most of the students minds, finding the brisk winds and creeping chill of fall to not be as soothing as they remembered from the year before. However, that didn't stop Quidditch from starting up. Tryouts and practices were beginning and once again Al had been asked to tryout for his house team and once again he had refused despite his housemates' bafflement and desired explanation. The raven-haired boy merely shrugged with a lop-sided smile claiming that N.E.W.T.S. took importance this year and that he didn't want to risk being spread out too thin. All Anthony Francis, the Quidditch Captain, could do was shake his head at his odd friend and not push any further, wondering if Albus really was the famed Harry Potter's son or if he had been swapped at birth. Of course one look at the sixteen year old and that theory could be immediately refuted; he was the spitting image of his father sans glasses and the scar.

But if there was still any doubt, all someone had to do would be to peek out at the Quidditch Pitch on Monday before dinner to find out that indeed he was the spawn of 'the boy who lived'. The wind whipped perilously around Albus' lean form, causing his school robes to billow menacingly. He ducked and dived with ease, enjoying the bundle of excited knots that swelled and collapsed every time he took an unexpected turn or dangerous loop. The only other time he felt this free was when he was drawing. He was so caught up with his soaring that he didn't recognize the platinum blonde head peering at him in astonishment.

"So the Potter boy can fly?" Scorpius taunted, swooping up beside the Ravenclaw on his own broomstick, which he left in the broom closet from Slytherin practice earlier.

Al's head snapped so suddenly at the intrusion that he almost fell off his broomstick, but instead flipped his body over, hanging like a monkey from a branch, sounding less than pleased "Oh, it's you."

"Don't need to sound so thrilled..." Scorpius muttered, wishing his tone sounded more sarcastic; he was losing his smartass edge around Ravenclaw-Potter and it irked him. The blonde flew closer to Albus, relishing in the sight of the boy flipped upside down with messy black hair falling around a flushed face. He couldn't help but begin to imagine that same face writhing under him and moaning his...

"Malfoy?" Albus managed to turn himself back around, blushing uncomfortably at the intensity in Scorpius' grey eyes, unable to control the shivers of pleasure that trickled through his veins.

"Huh," Scorpius replied dumbly before bringing himself back to reality, trying to control his breathing so his cheeks wouldn't blush anymore than he was sure they had. Malfoy's don't blush. "So spare me the sob story, but why aren't you on the Quidditch team? Ravenclaw might actually be a challenge if you played Seeker. Lennox is an insulting excuse for the sport."

Al couldn't help the small smile on his face, even if it was a shallow one for the sake of teasing, "Was that a compliment, Malfoy?" He flew up to the blonde so that their broom tips were practically touching, Albus leaning closer as he tilted his head, "What will The Serpents think? That their fearless leader has gone soft? And for a Potter no less?"

Scorpius didn't like the sudden challenge in the boy's eyes. He was beginning to realize Albus Potter was an enigma and that perhaps having that stupid Hufflepuff ego-boost of a boyfriend all last term finally gave Potter the confidence he needed to start standing up for himself and fighting back. And if that were true, Scorpius could only pray to Merlin that Potter wasn't as conniving as his green eyes dared to seem.

Albus took Scorpius' silence as a small victory but before he flew off, he brushed closer so their shoulders were touching and his breath tickled a spot on Scorpius' neck, "And just so you know, I don't play because I don't feel the need to flaunt my masculinity in front of the whole school. A competitive nature isn't always needed to feel secure." Suddenly soft lips followed by a light nibbling grazed the pale blonde's neck in a teasing fashion before the dark-haired boy was gone in a flash.

Scorpius shuddered involuntarily as Potter flew off, the October chill freezing where Albus' mouth once stood, the Slytherin suddenly feeling vacant. He couldn't help but reach up a gloved hand to where Al's teeth had playfully nipped, his eyes wide and disbelieving.

What the hell?

()

"What the hell?" Albus cursed under his breath as he carelessly tossed his broom into the cupboard, "Stupid, stupid..."

The slender boy trumped back toward the castle, skin colored extremely pink and breath coming out in short anxiety-ridden pants, "Why did you do that Al? You dolt..."

He knew it was stupid and dangerous and yet he couldn't help himself. He blamed Malfoy for it anyway. The damn 'Greek god' had all but practically kissed him numerous of times in the last couple weeks and it was really starting to wind the Ravenclaw up. He had never been so sexually frustrated before and he found himself whacking off at least twice a day and still it made no difference. So he saw an opportunity and he took it and all be damned if he'd regret it. He blamed his random Gryffindor-like boldness that seemed to turn up at the most inopportune times. God, is this what it feels like to be James or Lily? It's damn nerve wrecking. Heaven help them.

And yet, all Albus could think about was how he wished he had the courage to kiss Scorpius flat on the mouth instead.

()

Dinner couldn't go by any slower, everything seemed methodical and irritably mundane. Perhaps it was because all Albus noticed was the intense glare he was receiving on the other end of the Great Hall by two extremely familiar steel orbs that everything else paled in comparison. He kept trying to ignore Malfoy by chatting up Rose or Jeremy, but every few minutes he dared to glance back, shivers sinking into his skin as those eyes drank him up, even if they were murderous; he simply couldn't look away.

"Al, why does Malfoy look like he either wants to kill you or eat you?" Rose inquired cautiously, not liking the look in the Slytherin's eyes one bit.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Rosie," Albus denied swiftly, a little too swiftly to be convincing.

"What did you do?"

Albus had to cringe slightly at Rose's tone; it was eerily too similar to Aunt Hermione's scolding voice for his liking, "I-I didn't do anything. I'm sure he's glaring at some other Ravenclaw. You know he hates everybody except for his crew."

Rose took a steadying breath before shaking her head, giving up for now because she knew how stubborn Albus could be but her chocolate eyes remained hard, promising a talk would be in order soon. Albus mentally groaned at the fact, suddenly losing his appetite.

"I think I'm going to head out. I want to get some homework done before I tutor Flair tonight."

Al left the Great Hall abruptly without looking back, hoping Rose wouldn't follow him to have their talk now. Especially because the intense yet sexy glare of his Slytherin nemesis was still lingering in the back of his mind and he knew he wouldn't be able to keep his previous actions a secret if she pressed him for information now.

When he heard footsteps approaching him, he childishly walked faster not wanting to look back because he knew that would provoke her further. Just ignore her and she'll get the hint.

However, the steps seemed to quicken their pace behind him and Albus suddenly felt the need to run even though he knew he would be reprimanded by his cousin for acting so immature. The Ravenclaw didn't get far though before he was viciously grabbed and thrust into Classroom 11, a room once used to teach Divination by a centaur, Albus recalled from his father's stories, but was now abandoned. However, it was still charmed to look like the Forbidden Forest.

Having a strong inclination that this wasn't Rose, Albus immediately put his hands up to protect himself, unable to control the defense mechanisms his Auror father instilled in him ever since he was a child. Once he caught sight of a blonde head, Albus knew he should have been surprised, but Malfoy wasn't anything if not predictable.

"Running away from me, Potter? How cowardly," Scorpius started, pushing Albus back into the nearest wall, "what would Daddy say?"

"Malfoy, shove off," Albus pushed back, not nearly as hard as he could have but it made Scorpius lose his balance as he stumbled backward a bit, a frown settling on his features that Albus could make out in the dim classroom. The push seemed to provoke Malfoy since he closed the distance between them again instantly and pressed his body against the smaller boy's with more force, trying desperately not to think provocative thoughts with the tan boy so close.

"Now, now. There's no need to fight back," Scorpius soothed, his voice like velvet as it lapped against Al's skin, the Ravenclaw subconsciously tilting his neck to the side to allow Scorpius further access, enjoying the feel of the pale boy's warm breath despite the less-than-desirable circumstance he found himself in.

"You like that, do you?" Scorpius continued, grabbing Potter's hands and throwing them up above his head against the wall, delighting in the sense of control he felt as he hovered over Albus, his lips so close to tasting the tan boy's skin; he imagined it tasted sweet yet salty.

"Leave me alone," Al bit out despite the pleasurable gasp that escaped his lips from Scorpius' intensely hot move at restraining the Ravenclaw, fully aware of how heated his body was becoming and trying to will the tantalizing jolts of pleasure away, particularly from his groin.

"Never," Scorpius shot back, almost like a promise, and before he could control himself, he dipped his head and finally dared to taste Albus' skin, dragging his tongue slowly up the side of the moaning boy's neck before nipping his earlobe. Yep. Sweet yet salty... "Face it, Potter," he whispered into his ear, "You enjoy this. You like it when I tease and torment you. I'm sure you get off to it at night in your bed. Do your friends know you wank to the thought of a Slytherin controlling you? That you're a fucking masochist? I mean, why else would you dare to bite my neck if you didn't think I'd come after you with punishment in mind..."

After another involuntary shudder, Albus finally gained some sense and tried to struggle against the taller boy, which only made the latter chuckle low and continue his monologue, "There's no point. I'm stronger than you, shirt-lifter." With a self-satisfied smirk, Malfoy broke contact and stepped back, deciding it would be best to leave now before he took Potter right then and there. Oh how he wanted to. Merlin, he was losing his prized self-control, but he was determined to not let himself unravel completely.

Before he had a chance to reach the door, however, Scorpius found himself flung against the wall where Al previously stood and the familiar warmth of the Ravenclaw's body spread against him possessively. The unfamiliar sensation of pouty lips pressed against his made him lose any sense of power and all Scorpius could do was instinctively wrap his arms around Albus's waist and pull him closer, opening his mouth in shock as Albus teased his lower lip with his tongue. Al took advantage of Scorpius' gasping and slid his searching tongue into the Slytherin's unsuspecting mouth, groaning as the sensation of wet tongues battled for dominance.

Going on instinct, Scorpius roughly tugged Albus' shirt up from his pants and encircled the boy's bare waist until his hands met at the small of Al's back, pulling him closer if it were possible until their hardened groins rubbed against each other. Albus just sighed pleasantly in Scorpius' mouth before pulling back and sucking on his lower lip. Scorpius felt his eyes roll back into his head as he wondered where the boy learned how to bloody kiss like that. But all too soon the steam from their encounter evaporated and Scorpius found himself alone in Classroom 11, shaking with confused desire and throbbing with need for Potter to be pressed against him again.

Bloody Hell...

()

Albus ran. He couldn't analyze or process or rationalize or do anything Ravenclaw-y at the moment, because if he did he knew that he would have to admit how idiotic it was to kiss Scorpius Malfoy and he didn't want to think that. Something that felt so good and tasted so delicious shouldn't be idiotic and Albus didn't want to taint the memory of Scorpius' lips and his moans with the thoughts of a rational human being. So he ran. His body must have known what he needed because he found himself in the Ravenclaw common room headed directly for his dorm and bee-lining it to the bathroom.

He had a mind to turn the shower water immediately ice cold, but decided against and allowed the heat to envelope him as his hand enveloped his throbbing erection. He deserved this, he told himself as his hand quickened it's pace. He shouldn't have to punish himself just because he wanted the one boy in school he shouldn't, because he was a prick and entirely a Malfoy. But he did want him and desperately, and if that kiss meant anything it only proved that Albus' suspicions were correct in the fact that Malfoy was a damn good kisser. And gods what else would he be damn good at? So Albus allowed his eyes to close as he rethought the kiss again and again as he pulled his cock in fierce desperation, wanting to find release.

It came swiftly and almost violently, Albus' knees buckling under him as white fluid splashed across the shower wall, incriminating his traitorous act. The Ravenclaw panted as he held his hand under the water, rinsing away the evidence. He continued his shower swiftly, unsure of the time and wanting to make sure he didn't keep Flair waiting too long. Unfortunately, and too soon for his liking, he found himself cursing under his breath as he began to become aroused once more, the thought of Scorpius naked and on top of him too much to handle. Luckily, cold water drowned him back to reality.

()

Flair was leaning against the hallway in front of the library, tapping her foot impatiently. Her skin looked sallow and there were ominous bags under her usually bright ice blue eyes. Even her vibrant hair seemed to look dull, like a dying fire that had been burning all night. Albus rushed toward her with his bookbag, an apologetic look in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry. I got caught up..." he trailed off, unable to hide the blush creeping on his cheeks as he reminisced on why he was late. The blush dissipated, however, when he saw the complexion of his new friend, "Flair, you look terrible."

"Well, thanks for the honesty. You know I appreciate it," the Gryffindor replied sarcastically, her eyes looking tired despite the sharpness behind them.

"Sorry," Al winced as he glanced down, not really sure how to handle this different Flair.

"No... I'm sorry," Flair sighed in defeat, "It's true. I probably look as terrible as I feel."

"Are you sick?"

"Something like that," Flair smiled slightly as the look of concern in Al's eyes, appreciating his genuinity.

"Let's take you to the Hospital Wing then."

"No, I'll be fine. I really hate Hospital Wings or anything medically related. I'll be fine."

Al tried to give her the same stern look his mother would have given him in this case, but by Flair's unimpressed face he was obviously doing it wrong.

"Fine, Al. I'm fine," Flair reassured before walking toward the library, wincing softly and leaning against the wall for support.

"Obviously you're not," Al grabbed her arm to help steady her, his voice becoming more firm, "I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing. You'll thank me later."

Flair grumbled her annoyance but finally nodded her head, reluctantly following him.

After dropping the redhead off, Al promised he would visit her tomorrow since Madam Liverwood said she would probably be in the Hospital Wing for the next couple days or so. The nurse didn't give an explanation as to why, which irked the Ravenclaw slightly but he knew it wasn't his business to pry. It also bothered him that Flair urged him not to visit, but being a Weasley, Albus still had his stubborn streak and a mother-hen complex to contend with.

()

Scorpius burst into the Slytherin common room with what sounded like an animalistic growl toward a couple second years that were sitting on his favorite couch. The little ones jumped up immediately and left with whispered apologies before the blonde fell upon the plush cushions gracefully, bringing his fingers to the bridge of his nose and pinching in exasperation.

The feel of Albus' lips against his own remained on replay ever since the Ravenclaw left him in Classroom 11 and no matter what he tried to do to distract himself, he couldn't get over what he felt when that kiss happened. He actually felt something. Of course, when he had made out with girls or even had sex with them, he managed to stay turned on because the idea that he could get someone so hot and bothered made him feel sexy and desired. But this, this was entirely different. It didn't matter that Al had wanted him so intensely (of course it helped) but the fact remained that Scorpius was actually turned on by Albus. His skin, his lips, his eyes, even his voice did things to Scorpius' body that he thought no one, especially a Potter (and a male one at that), would be able to do. The thought did little to ease his rational mind.

The rustling of cushions across the table almost made Scorpius hex whomever had dared to enter his presence, but the sight of Cody Zabini immediately halted his hand from retrieving his wand.

"What's got you in such a slump?" the dark boy inquired, genuinely concerned as he sat back in the cushioned armchair, crossing his legs comfortably as he settled in.

"Where's your other half?" Scorpius tried to alter Cody's focus, not in the mood to even begin to explain what had gotten him in a slump.

"Colette? She's at the library..."

"No. I mean Thames," Scorpius interjected, his grey eyes harsh as they glanced over.

"Oh, um... not sure actually," Cody stammered, his eyebrows furrowing, "And he's not my other half. Why would you say that?"

"Maybe because you're always in his bed," the blonde said dryly and gave him a knowing look, judgement imminent in his steel depths, "I mean, we're sixteen for crying out loud. When are you going to grow up and realize that Adrian Thames will never commit to you? When school is over and we graduate, do you honestly think that he'll just let you apparate to his place and sleep in his bed whenever it suits your fancy? Please, don't tell me you're that clueless..."

Hurt replaced by angry swirled in Cody's hazel eyes as he abruptly stood up, glaring down at Scorpius, "You know, I know you can be an asshole sometimes but where do you get off acting as if you know me... as if you know us? You have no idea what you're talking about and whatever has gotten your knickers in a twist doesn't give you the right to be cruel to me, your friend."

Scorpius made a huff of indifference before crossing his arms over his chest, internally beating himself up for letting his knowledge of his two friend's "relationship" slip but he would never let Cody know he regretted his words. "My knickers aren't in a twist and I have every right to judge you. I heard you two snogging the other night in his bed and I was so disturbed I was tempted to obliviate myself so I'd forget the sound of my two best mates moaning!"

Cody remained still, shock and fear in eyes, before simply shaking his head in disbelief and leaving the blonde in the common room alone, painful tears forming in his hazel eyes.

That night, there were no tentative steps to Adrian's bed or sounds of pleasure echoing in the dorm room.

The next morning, Scorpius woke up and realized that everyone in his dorm was already at breakfast, no one bothering to wake him up. Slightly irked, the Slytherin refused to think this was a result of what had transpired between him and Cody last night, but a part of him knew better. In the six years Scorpius had attended Hogwarts, Adrian always waited for him to go to breakfast, usually with Cody by his side. His suspicions were revealed to be true when Scorpius went down to the common room and was told by Colette's dorm mates that she had already gone to breakfast with the boys, not mentioning Scorpius to any of them.

With an irritated and almost fearful sigh, Scorpius walked to the Great Hall alone, ignoring the odd looks he was receiving from other students; it only made the Slytherin hold his head higher, even though his grey eyes revealed his insecurity about what was to face him at breakfast.

The Serpents were slumped together at their normal spot near the end of the table: Rodney sitting next to Adrian across from Colette and her brother. It was unusal to not see Cody and Adrian cuddled next to one another, but the Zabini boy insistently sat close to his twin sister instead. Adrian kept attempting to talk to him, but the darker boy plainly kept to himself, not even meeting his best friend's concerned and puzzled gaze. From the looks of it, Adrian thought he had somehow insulted his best friend since they didn't share a bed last night for the first time in years. Colette's face expressed obvious worry as she glanced between the two boys and Rodney, as per usual, was utterly clueless and stuffing his face.

Scorpius ran his hands quickly through his hair before forcing the most Malfoyish smirk he could muster and headed toward his crew. He moved to sit next to Colette and was surprised when she glared at him and made no intention of budging, instead turning back to Cody to try and engage him in some conversation as she rubbed his back soothingly.

"Cody, please tell us what's wrong. You're acting so strange..." Colette pressed calmly but all Cody did was look up at Scorpius and narrow his eyes childishly before returning to stare at his plate of food. The male twin's eyes looked red and blotchy, either from crying or lack of sleep, Scorpius didn't know. Colette, however, knew her twin enough to understand what his small gesture meant, as did Adrian, and suddenly both of them realized why Cody was so adamant that they not wait for Scorpius this morning.

"What did you do?" Colette demanded, her normally warm hazel eyes piercing like a threatened mother tiger as she stared at Scorpius.

With a defeated sigh, Scorpius moved around the table to sit beside Adrian, whose blue eyes would have killed on sight if they had the ability. Luckily for Scorpius, he was immune to Adrian's glares by now, having grown up with them all his life. Moments of awkward tension hung between the five of them before the blond finally spoke, trying to remain nonchalant, "I just said something I shouldn't have. I didn't think he'd take it so personally..." When no one seemed satisfied, Scorpius continued, this time trying out a sarcastically teasing tone, "So how long is it going to be before you guys to speak to me again?"

Adrian continued to glare, Cody pushed around his eggs, Rodney made a non-committed noise and Colette just shook her head in disbelief.

"You can really be an asshole sometimes, Scorp," Colette finally ground out, her hazel eyes ablaze, "Obviously what you said is really bothering Cody. I mean look at him." Cody nudged his twin with an annoyed sound, signaling for her to stop talking, not looking up to meet anyone's gaze, especially not Adrian's. Colette sighed, but continued to look at Scorpius harshly, "Besides whatever you said to Cody, you've been acting really off lately. All of us have noticed."

"I have not-"

"Have to," Cody suddenly interrupted, looking up at the blonde accusingly, "And you haven't talked to any of us about it."

"You guys are delusional."

"Well we'll continue to be delusional until you come clean," Colette returned, her black-lined eyes squinting as if that would help her see through his facade any better.

"Fine, fine," Scorpius conceded, trying to rack his brain for a quick excuse, "Look, I've just been really stressed lately. With being a prefect again and trying to beat Ravenclaw-Weasely in N.E.W.T.S. this year... and my first time as Quidditch captain... I think I'm just finally feeling the pressure."

"It still doesn't excuse you for being an ass to us, Scorp," Colette spoke up, her eyes also adding especially to Cody as she side-glanced toward her brother, who was oblivious to his sister's quiet protecting.

"I know," the blonde gave in, trying to make his voice sound apologetic, mimicking the way he had heard other people apologize (he of course being a Malfoy never has nor never will use the word 'sorry'), "I'll try to ease up on the prick-business. Just let me get through tryouts this week okay?"

That seemed to satisfy everyone (except for Adrian who continued to glare) since the rest of them nodded their heads silently and went back to eating, knowing better than to expect a flat-out apology from the Malfoy heir. Scorpius smirked in triumph, ignoring the Thames' glares and turning his attention to the incoming owls with the morning mail.

()

"Looks like trouble in the snake pit," Rose mused as she grabbed a danish, unable to ignore the gossip about The Serpents' obvious tension floating throughout the Great Hall.

Al was about to comment until a large rectangular-shaped present landed in front of him, drawing his attention completely. He couldn't contain his grin of anticipation as he began to rip apart the exquisite wrapping, any thoughts of Malfoy's friend troubles quickly dissolving. The removed wrapping revealed a rather expensive art set. A small gasp escaped the boy's lips as he gingerly touched the case, his green eyes wide with admiration as he opened it to reveal a rather extensive set of charcoal pens, pencils, erasers, pastels and anything else a budding artist could dream of. The Great Hall once again fell into hushed whispers, but this time they were centered more on why Al would receive an art set as opposed to whom the admirer could be.

Rose and Al both looked at each other curiously as Rose picked up the letter, reading it quietly to her cousin.

Dearest Albus,

I hope this art set suits your needs. Maybe one day I'll let you draw me... in the buff.

My Heart Is Yours,

Your Secret Admirer.

Rose giggled and Albus blushed profusely as he quickly grabbed the note and reread it, thinking that maybe his cousin was messing with him.

"Just like in Titanic," Rose joked, giggling more at the look on Albus' face.

"Oh stop it, Rose," Albus complained, but he had to smile at the thought of having delicious hot sex in a Muggle car afterwards. The more pressing issue, however, was that this narrowed down his selection quite a bit. "This means they have to be in Ravenclaw, Rose. No one else knows I draw..."

"Well now they do," Rose shot back, gesturing to the other three tables that were eyeing him and the new gift curiously.

"Shit."

"It'll be fine. Besides it's not like drawing is equivalent to being a Parseltongue or something. It's hardly a bad habit. In fact, mum says artists are considered to be extremely sexy in the Muggle World."

"Not helping," Albus muttered as his eyes scanned the Great Hall before going back to his table, hoping that perhaps someone's face would give them away. The only Ravenclaw that caught his attention was a rather cute spectacled 7th year staring intensely at his plate of food with a small smile on his lips. Albus scrunched his face in concentration as he tried to decipher the boy's reaction before glancing back at his gift, thinking he might have an idea of who he secret admirer was. Jeremy Holmes continued to stare at his food while lost in his thoughts, unaware that he was currently under speculation as Albus Potter's secret admirer.

()

It wasn't until after dinner that night that Albus was able to make his way to the Hospital Wing, Rose demanding that she accompany her cousin, even if it was because she was secretly jealous he was visiting his "new best friend" and because she wanted to oversee and make sure she wasn't replaced.

"So Jeremy Holmes... Really?" Rose asked incredulously as she fell into step with her cousin.

"Well yeah, I mean he even said last Saturday how badly I needed a new art set and then I just happen to receive one?" Albus looked at her, expecting that to be enough evidence.

"I suppose... but what about the book? And the chocolates?"

"I mentioned to him how much I had wanted that book during one of our drawing sessions and everyone knows chocolate caramels from Honeydukes are my favorite."

"I guess... But I don't know. I'm just not convinced. I always thought he was straight. I mean those are the vibes I got."

"Yeah, but have you ever seen him date anyone? Or ever show that type of interest in a girl?"

"Well no..."

"Then you see my logic?"

"I guess. I'm still not entirely convinced though."

Al just shrugged with an easy grin as they continued on their way, dissecting each and every conversation Potter had had with the Ravenclaw 7th year until they finally reached the Hospital Wing. Upon entering, they were informed that Flair was not up to having visitors and to come back later. Albus, being the curious sort, waited until Madam Liverwood retreated back to her office before he sneaked into the infirmary, Rose keeping guard outside. What he found, however, was not Flair Ellison but rather a room of empty beds, all prepped and sterilized as if no one had been in any of them all day.

With a confused look on his face, Al met up with Rose and explained what he found.

"Well maybe Madam Liverwood sent her back to her dorm."

"But didn't you hear her? She said Flair wasn't up to having visitors... it makes no sense why she would lie."

Rose sighed, confused as well, before turning her chocolate eyes back to Albus, immediately shaking her head furiously, "No. No, Al. I know what that look means. We're not going on some wild goose chase to find her. I'm sure she's fine. In fact, I'm sure she's more than fine. That girl could have probably taken on Voldemort without blinking an eye."

Al, looking unconvinced, smiled innocently, "No, not a wild goose chase. I just need to get something from my brother, that's all."

Rose knew exactly what he was planning on retrieving, but she also knew that nothing she could say would deter him, so she just followed him to the Gryffindor common room in fuming silence.

Next time on Jigsaw Love:

Albus starts to flirt with a certain oblivious spectacled Ravenclaw and offers to draw him, much to Scorpius' horror; Rose and Al decide to track down Flair's whereabouts and learn a shocking secret along the way; Slytherin tryouts are finally over but Scorpius is still acting strange, much to Colette's annoyance; Flair and Colette finally get to go out for drinks with some interesting revelations neither girl expects; Scorpius becomes obsessed with getting Albus alone, but the Ravenclaw refuses to cooperate.


	6. Marks Of Recognition

Once they were in front of the fat lady, Albus spoke the password confidently (thanks to Lily, who always kept him informed) and entered the common room, Rose trailing behind him and looking less than pleased. Colors of red and gold enhanced the warmth of the large circular room, where a couple groups of students were scattered among the plush red chairs, some studying and others playing games. Al caught sight of two boys playing exploding snap and talking louder than was necessary. The Ravenclaw just smiled slightly and headed toward the noise.

"Hey James. Hey Fred."

"Oi, Al, Rose... what are you doing in here? You're blue and bronze are clashing horribly with our decor," Fred teased as he glanced up, his large grin two rows of white cheshire-cat teeth.

"Ha-ha very funny, Fred," Rose rolled her eyes before plopping down next to her cousin, forcefully pushing the darker boy over with a rather ungirlish grunt.

"Hey be careful of the goods, Rosie. Tasha won't forgive you," Fred shot back as he moved over, waving at his girlfriend as she glanced up from across the room upon hearing her name, "Hello, beautiful. Fancy a cuddle sesh?

The blonde girl nodded her head happily and Fred took that at his cue to get up and leave, knowing that business look in Albus' eyes all too well as he stared at James impatiently; the caramel-skinned boy figured now would be the best time to leave. "Always a pleasure cousins," he bowed mockingly with a grin his deceased uncle would have been proud of and left to go sit with his giggling girlfriend.

James, who had watched the ordeal in amusement, finally dared to look at his brother, knowing what the look meant as well, "What do you want, Al..."

"The Marauder's Map," Al said simply, as if he was asking for a piece candy. His green eyes transformed to a hopeful glance as his face contorted into a look of innocence, aware that it was hard for his brother to say no to him; the older boy had an extremely soft spot when it came to his family even if he seemed arrogant and nonchalant around them in public.

"Why?" James pressed, trying to act like the responsible older brother. Of course he would let his little brother use the map, or the cloak, whenever the younger boy wanted them. As it were, he had already planned on passing it down to Albus when he graduated this year. He merely asked because it was extremely rare when Albus wanted either artifact, so James couldn't help but be curious.

"I just want to check on someone..." Albus countered vaguely, not really wanting to get into it, especially because Flair was in his older brother's house.

"Stalker-much?" James teased with a wink before sighing and standing, understanding that when Al didn't want to elaborate there was no point in pushing. James actually believed Albus was more stubborn than their mother, which was saying something. "Alright, I'll be right back."

Albus nodded and turned to Rose with a smug smirk on his face, ignoring Rose's reprimanding eyes.

"What are you looking so smug about, Al?" a melodic voice wafted across the room and Albus turned to see Natalia Rosewood heading over with a curious smile on her face. Her long light brown hair fell in waves around her tan heart-shaped face and her pale green eyes always seemed to have a gentle and kind look about them. Natalia was James girlfriend of about three years and most of the family still wondered how she managed to keep the oldest Potter-boy faithful. Albus, however, knew that it was James who had to work hard at keeping Natalia around. The girl was intelligent, pretty and extremely talented when it came to Quidditch; she was pretty much a typical schoolboy's fantasy. Last year, when it looked like James and Natalia were going to be over, Albus and Lily stepped in and threatened their brother with the promise of eternal hexes, claiming that if he let her go it would be the stupidest mistake of his life and that his family would never forgive him. As it was, Natalia already called Ginny and Harry "mum and dad" and spent every holiday with them since she lost her parents in a Muggle car crash two years ago. The brunette was family and Al just couldn't think of James without Natalia by his side.

"Hey, Talia," Albus and Rose chimed together with identical smiles.

"He's just up to mischief," Rose ratted her cousin out with a stern look.

"Albus? Mischief? Not possible. That's James and Fred's territory," Natalia corrected as she sat down next to the younger Potter, "Don't tell me James is rubbing off on you... We need one decent and good Potter-boy around."

"Hey! I resent that, love," James cut in, feigning offense as he leaned over the couch to give Natalia a chaste but affectionate peck on the lips."

"I love you, too," Natalia whispered against his lips with a smile and Albus and Rose just looked on longingly, both feeling extremely single.

"Hey, can you two not rub it in?" Albus broke the lovers' gaze by nudging James lightly, "Some of us are very much single."

"Not our problem you broke that Hufflepuff's heart. Rumor has it he stills doodles your name with little hearts," James teased, laughing at the horrified look that crossed Albus' features, "Typical Hufflepuff. Anyways, here you go." He handed the blank parchment over to his little brother while the two girls shared a knowing look of disapproval.

"Thanks James," Albus took the old-looking parchment and slipped it in his robe pocket before standing up, signaling for Rose to do so as well, "Well, we have to go... Ravenclaw stuff, you know."

"Mmhm... And Al, if you want to stalk that Hufflepuff I'm sure you could just ask him out again. I know he'll say yes."

"It's not about Randy!" Albus exasperated loudly, ignoring the interested looks by some of the Gryffindors in the common room.

"So I'm guessing he's not your secret admirer then?" Natalia quipped with a gentle smile, hoping it came off more soothing than teasing.

"Definitely not," Rose chirped up, "You should have seen his face when Al received the first gift."

Albus rolled his eyes and started to leave the common room, just wanting to do what he intended and figure out Flair's whereabouts. He hated small-talk especially when it had to do with his love life.

"Do you have any idea who it is then?"

"Not really. But we'll have to catch up later. I-really-have-something-I-need-to-do," Albus rushed his words together, looking at Rose pleadingly.

"Oh right, right... the thing," Rose said unconvincingly, sending a humored glance to Natalia and James as she followed Albus, "Bye you two!"

"Bye guys. Don't be strangers!" Natalia called out before she was captured in rather passionate snog, James' way of getting Albus and Rose to leave more quickly; they did.

()

"Aww they're so cute," Rose sighed dreamily as she followed Albus out of the portrait.

"Yeah, they are. I just hope we'll have that one day..."

"We will. I mean if someone can love James then finding people to love us should be a piece of cake!" Rose laughed and linked her arm into Albus' as they headed toward Ravenclaw Tower.

The two entered the common room quietly and went straight up to Al's room, sneaking away to his bedroom and closing the curtains around them before placing a silencing charm. He pulled the blank parchment out of his robes, whispered the incantation to activate the map and opened it with searching eyes, placing it on the bed so Rose could do the same.

"I can't find her..." Rose mumbled, squinting her eyes slightly.

"Me neither..." Albus trailed off as he caught another name pacing the dungeons aimlessly. Scorpius Malfoy. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and continued looking for the redhead's name. His finger trailed to the outskirts of Hogwarts, thinking perhaps the American might have wandered outside for some odd reason; she did seem the reckless type.

"Hey, isn't that the new professor?" Rose's hand pushed Al's away quickly, pointing at Cassia Farlow's name entering the Whomping Willow.

"It is... " Albus agreed curiously.

Rose jumped slightly and made an indignant noise of confusion when the name disappeared off the map, "Hey! Where did she go? She just disappeared. Did she apparate?"

"No, we can't apparate out of Hogwarts remember? I do remember my dad saying something about the map not being able to track people past a certain point. The Whomping Willow... that leads to the shrieking shack, doesn't it?"

"I think so. But why would the new professor be going to the shrieking shack? People still think it's haunted."

"Yea, my dad said it was a dump inside. I don't think anyone's been in there since Voldemort used it as a hideout during The Battle of Hogwarts."

They both sat in contemplative silence as they stared down at the map, wondering if the name would pop up again. It didn't.

"Well, maybe Flair is somewhere the map can't track," Rose considered as she finally glanced up at Albus.

"Maybe... Do you think she'd be in the shack too then? I mean, she couldn't have left the school," Albus began to weigh ideas out in his mind, "The Room of Requirement is an option too. Dad said it's unplottable for some reason."

"Probably because of how it shifts," Rose answered smartly before continuing, "I doubt she would have figured out how to get there already."

"Well this was unsatisfying," Albus sighed as he laid back against his pillow, staring up at the ceiling.

Rose followed his actions and crossed her arms over her chest, turning her head to glance at Albus, "Now we have two mysteries. Do you think they're connected? I mean they did come to school at the same time..."

"I doubt it," Albus piped up, "Flair hasn't mentioned Professor Farlow at all while we've hung out. And she's American. Professor Farlow is obviously British. She told us in class that she was a Hogwarts' alumnus. She was in Slytherin and Head Girl."

"Slytherin? Really? She's so nice," Rose wondered, "I guess flukes can happen."

"Yeah," Albus agreed, unable to stop himself from thinking about a certain Slytherin, sighing gently as a tingle teased his lips.

"You ok, Al?"

"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine. I'm just worried about Flair." Well, it wasn't a complete lie. He just hoped she would be in class tomorrow so he could ask her in person.

"Well there's nothing we can do until we see her so try not to worry too much," Rose patted his arm gently before sitting up, "I'm going to head to bed. Meet me in the common room tomorrow?"

"Always," Al smiled and waved his cousin off. Once he was alone, he reached for the map and held it up, continuing to stare at Scorpius Malfoy's pacing form until his eyes felt so heavy that sleep overtook him.

()

Morning came too quickly for Scorpius but he forced himself out of bed anyways, rubbing his tired eyes automatically. He hardly slept a wink last night and found pacing the dungeons to be a somewhat soothing activity while his mind reeled. Albus' lips refused to leave his mind and as tempted as he was to forget, he knew that he would never tamper with the memory even if he was losing sleep over it. So with a tired sigh, he left the comfort of his bed and dragged his bare feet to the shower, mumbling an incoherent grunt to whomever was in the shower next to him. He figured it was Adrian.

Just as Scorpius was about to get into the shower, Adrian pulled back his shower curtain and peeked over at the blonde, "What did you say to Cody?"

"Thames, not now," Scorpius grumbled, waving off the Slytherin dismissively as he held the towel around his waist protectively.

"Now, Malfoy. Why is he acting so strange? I thought it was me, but obviously it's whatever you said to him last week," he drawled, unamused.

"Look, I might have made a quip about him always sleeping in your bed," Scorpius gave in, knowing it was best to give the boy a straight answer; Adrian was never one to beat around the bush, a trait Scorpius usually admired unless directed at him, "And I told him I heard you two kissing and moaning the other night."

If Adrian was surprised, his face never showed it, but his eyes hinted some shock. It quickly faded as Adrian nodded his head curtly once and got out of the shower, wrapping himself with a towel and charming his hair dry. Scorpius figured the incident was over and done with by the other Slytherin's silence. When the blonde stepped into the shower, however, he quickly realized he wasn't forgiven as icy water spewed over him, refusing to warm even as Scorpius screwed with the knobs. Stupid git charmed the bloody shower... Malfoy got out with a glare toward the Slytherin, who simply smirked in reply, and moved to the next one, realizing they were all charmed. At least now Scorpius wouldn't have a problem waking up.

()

Flair turned up at breakfast that morning, still looking ill but seeming fine besides that. She was laughing with some of her housemates and eating plenty, so Albus was perplexed as he studied her. When she caught sight of him, she waved enthusiastically and he couldn't help but wave back, glad that she seemed to be alright but he was still feeling investigative.

"See? I told you she'd be fine," Rose nudged him gently before turning her attention to Jeremy, "What were you asking me, Holmes?"

Jeremy pushed his glasses back up his nose before fiddling with his napkin, starting up his questions about how Rose's studying for N.E.W.T.S. were going, which engaged the bushy redhead in a long-winded explanation including her predictions of how she would do in each class and her strategies for studying. She also inquired if he had any tips for her since he had already passed with flying colors the year before.

Albus studied Jeremy as he listened to Rose rant incessantly, a small polite smile creeping onto the older Ravenclaw's face. The boy wasn't terrible to look at. In fact, he was nerdy cute. His face was chiseled delicately with prominent cheekbones, a small pointed nose and soft blue eyes with long lashes. Sandy blonde hair fell into his face carelessly but it suited his geek-chic look and Albus didn't realize that he might have been attracted to Jeremy all along. He just never saw him in that way until now but as he thought about it, Jeremy was the closest friend he had that wasn't family. He felt completely at ease around the older boy and they could talk for hours about art and books. The more he thought about it, the more he kind of wished his secret admirer was Jeremy.

Jeremy, sensing he was being watched, broke his intense eye contact with Rose and looked at Al expectantly, his smile still in place, "You okay, Al?"

"Huh. Oh yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking it might be fun to draw you is all," Albus shrugged with a lopsided grin, hoping he didn't sound too hopeful.

"Yeah, sure. As long as I can draw you after," Jeremy gave an easy smile as Albus nodded, visibly relaxing "This Saturday then? We can do it at Hogsmeade. I know a good spot."

"Sure," Al agreed before he continued to eat, allowing a light blush to creep onto his cheeks and not minding it in the least. Jeremy turned his attention back to Rose and asked more questions, apparently not bored at all with Weasley's conversation and unaware of Albus' pink cheeks.

Al felt someone watching him intently and when he looked up to see two grey orbs eyeing him inquisitively, his blush deepened but he refused to look away, determined to win this staring contest despite the intense heat that was rolling off his body. The fact that he spent most of last night watching the Slytherin wander around the dungeons like a lovesick puppy only made his skin flush more. Malfoy finally looked away when girl-Zabini poked his side, looking at him quizzically. Albus merely ran his hands through his hair and gulped down a glass of cool water hoping it would ease the heat dwelling within him as he looked away from the Slytherin table. He may have wanted Jeremy to be his secret admirer because it was the simple and most pleasant choice, but Al would be lying to himself if he said a part of him didn't want it to be from the grey-eyed Slytherin with whom he had a rather volatile bond with.

Scorpius glared at Colette's poking before going back to eating, wondering who had made Albus blush first before their staring contest began and whomever it was was going to get a swift kick in the arse. Making the Ravenclaw blush was his job and his alone.

()

The next few days went by rather uneventfully, most students caught up in Quidditch tryouts or discussing this Saturday's Hogsmeade trip since it would be the last one before the Halloween ball so talks of costumes and who's taking who fluttered around the school in an excited flutter. Albus was no closer to asking Flair where exactly she had been the other night but not for lack of trying. It just seemed that every time Al got Flair alone, someone would pop up, either wanting to speak with either of them or just hang to out. The redhead was quickly becoming a favorite among the students, so much that Albus' tutoring sessions had now included quite a few others; he debated on charging them, but he was just too damn nice.

Al just about gave up until Saturday arrived. The two of them were by the lake for a morning drawing session before leaving for Hogsmeade. Jeremy hadn't attended because he had a N.E.W.T.S. prep session with Rose, but it didn't matter because Al would be hanging out with him later. The Gryffindor had had an insatiable smile on her face the whole morning and when Albus finally asked why, she said she had a date with someone and much to Al's surprise it wasn't at all whom he had expected.

"Colette? As in Colette Zabini?"

"That's the one. Uber beautiful, sexy mohawk, piercing hazel eyes, yummy leather jacket you just want to rip off..."

"I get it!" Al cut her off before the temptation of gagging himself won out.

"Hey now, you don't get to judge. I know you like her best friend. That Malfoy guy," Flair pointed at him accusingly, smirking when the Ravenclaw blanched.

"How did you know..."

"Oh come on, it's obvious. I see the way you look at him and vice versa. Just watching you two interact, especially this week, is absolutely intriguing. I don't miss my Muggle soap operas with you two around."

"Now that's just a little dramatic, don't you think?" Though Albus had to admit he felt like he was starring in his own romance dramedy; it all felt comedic and tragic at once.

"Well I am a Gryffindor aren't I?" Flair quipped with a teasing grin.

"True..." Albus mused thoughtfully before deciding to ask what he really wanted to, "So, Rose and I came to visit you the other night and Madam Liverwood said you weren't able to see us. But I snuck in, because I'm a man of my word, but you weren't in there and then we checked the Gryffindor common room and you weren't there either..."

A flash of yellow sparked Flair's eyes as she tried to control her face, a mix of fear and anger settling there, forcing Albus to stop his babbling. "Wow, Al, I didn't think you cared..." She trailed off, trying to keep her tone light but failing as her annoyed gaze returned to looking out at the water, her eyes blue again.

"I wasn't trying to pry or anything..." Albus spoke hurriedly, startled by the quick change in her irises, "I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I'm sorry."

The redhead took a couple deep, meditative breaths before nodding her head and forcing a smile onto her lips, "No, Al. It's fine. I'm fine. Thank you though for caring so much. You hardly know me and yet you were willing to risk detention just to check up on me. I don't deserve a friend like you."

Al was startled when he was quickly pulled into a deep embrace, Flair nuzzling her face in his chest, the difference in their height startling. The Ravenclaw forgot how small the Gryffindor truly was at only 5'1 compared to his 5'11 because she just always seemed liked such a bigger person; he attributed it to her self-confidence. Albus allowed his body to relax into the hug as his arms wrapped her before looking up and tensing again, realizing a pair of grey eyes were fiercely glaring at the couple next to a pair of curious hazel.

Sensing his stiffness, Flair pulled back and glanced over to where his eyes had been looking, a grin tugging on her lips as she took in the two Slytherin's expressions, "Oh, there's my knight in shining armor. And see? I told you you two were Romeo and Juliet."

"Shove off," Albus said softly as he playfully pushed Flair off of him, followed by her slapping him on the arm with a knowing laugh.

"Rude. But I'm totally right," Flair joked before gesturing to Colette that she'd be a minute as she turned back to Al, "Oh and as for that night... I was in the Headmistress' office for most of it. She had a couple questions concerning my education at Salem and wanted me to finish some aptitude tests. I don't know why Madam Liverwood lied to you. I felt perfectly fine after the first night you took me in."

And with that confession, Flair gave him a convincing smile and walked toward her date. Al mirrored her smile but he couldn't stop the sickening feeling pulsing in his stomach at her lie. He knew for a fact she wasn't in the school that night and her well-rehearsed confession only sealed the false story. Al knew that for now pushing the subject would be a bad idea, swiftly beginning to understand all too well the short-fused temper the redhead seemed to possess.

The Ravenclaw watched the two girls walk off together with a small smirk, happy for his friend even if her date was with a Slytherin and a Serpent, no less. And speaking of Serpents, a certain blonde made his way rather determinedly toward Albus, much to the Ravenclaw's horror. The two hadn't spoken since the intense kiss a few days back but not for Scorpius' lack of trying. The Slytherin had all but done a full-body bind curse to try and get Albus' attention. It just seemed every time the Ravenclaw was in the Slytherin's clutches, Al managed to slither away. Scorpius would have normally been impressed by such tactics from a non-Slytherin but in this case, it just made him more frustrated.

Albus caught the acutely driven gaze from the other boy and immediately turned to run, or quickly walk... he didn't want to seem too much like a coward. More like he had better things to do than talk with a Serpent, let alone the leader of them. But before he had a chance to pick up his pace, he suddenly felt his arms and legs snap at his sides as he fell onto his back, glancing up at the sky, immobilized. Damn him...

Scorpius smirked in satisfication and moved to stand over the frozen dark-haired boy. He returned his wand to his back trouser pocket and kneeled beside Albus, brushing some of the boy's bangs out of his face so he could see the hypnotic green eyes, glaring at him severely.

"Now, now don't give me that look," Scorpius started, tsking him nonchalantly though the humoring glimmer never left his eyes, "I wouldn't have to take such measures if you would merely cooperate."

Albus just continued to glare in response, unable to take a swing at him like he wanted to.

Scorpius rolled his eyes before leaning over the the boy, placing either hand on the lush grass by Albus' head and bending his elbows, bringing his face closer to the stiff Ravenclaw's, "I just thought you should know that what you did in Classroom 11 was unacceptable and that escaping the way you did was just plain cowardly. Your father would never forgive you..."

The blonde gave Al a feral grin before leaning down and kissing the rigid lips, but unlike the muggle fairytale, a kiss wouldn't wake Albus from his anchored slumber. It would, however, spread heat to a rather unwanted place. What is Malfoy playing at? Albus thought anxiously, wishing he could either squirm away or respond to the warm lips that were pressing so teasingly against his own. He mentally moaned when Scorpius dragged his wet tongue slowly along Al's lower lip, leaving it glistening and wet as the blonde pulled back.

"If you promise not to run away, I'll release you," Scorpius taunted in a seductive whisper as his thumb lightly brushed against Al's lower lip, relishing in how soft the Ravenclaw's mouth was.

The glare softened a bit and Scorpius took that as Al's agreement, so he waved his wand whispering "Rennervate" and sitting back on his heels with a smug smirk.

As soon as Albus felt his limbs revive, he sat up and popped Scorpius in the jaw with his fist, the sound cracking against the silence of the lake. Scorpius cursed in surprise as his hand went up to his face, his eyes molten silver, "What the fuck was that for, Potter?"

Albus stood up and brushed his clothes off before glaring down at Scorpius, "You have to ask? Really? Do you always bloody body-bind people before you kiss them? No wonder you're still single..."

The Ravenclaw started walking away in a heated huff, but didn't get far before he was pushed back into the grass, this time by another a warm body as opposed to a spell. His hands and face met with the hard ground before he was flipped over onto his back, Scorpius' body straddling him rather successfully. An unsightly purple color began to grow around Scorpius' cheek and Albus was tempted to reach out and gently touch it in concern before he realized who he was dealing with.

"Get off me, Malfoy." Albus said in calm agitation, despite the harsh pounding of his heart inside his chest. Oh, how he hated how much he loved being under the Slytherin.

"Make me." Scorpius shot back roughly and in slight pain, his hands on the boy's shoulders, keeping him pinned.

Albus tried to move but realized from previous experiences that it was useless to try and escape from the Slytherin's much stronger grasp as long as Scorpius was aware of what was happening; the only time Albus had managed to physically overpower Scorpius was when he had kissed him a couple days ago and that was only because he had the element of surprise on his side.

"I should make you pay for ruining my perfect face," Scorpius bit out pompously, his eyes dangerously consuming, "But how to go about it..." The blonde dipped his head and dragged his tongue slowly up Albus' neck, causing the Ravenclaw to buck up underneath him automatically, "Oh, you like that do you? I remembered..."

"Malfoy, get off," Albus ground out, trying to sound menacing but realizing his words came out more like a desperate plea.

"Not yet," Scorpius grinned as he pulled down Al's muggle T-shirt collar and bit the soft spot where the boy's neck and shoulder met, resulting in Al moaning and lifting his body up again, pressing his hips against the blonde's automatically. Scorpius moaned uncontrollably when his felt something hard brush against him, realizing what part of Albus was stiffening and that his own body was following the Ravenclaw's reaction. The Slytherin nipped and sucked the spot until a rather large hickey spread along the tan skin, his hips grinding down against the Albus until he couldn't take it anymore. Scorpius released his active mouth with a loud pop, licking his lips to savour the taste of Al's skin, a mix of sweet salt and a tinge of bitter cologne tingling his tastebuds.

"Now we're even, Potter," Scorpius whispered huskily with a delectable nibble on Al's earlobe before pushing himself off and heading back toward the castle, wanting to get a look at his face and heal it before heading out to the wizarding village. And to also take care of a little problem. Well a big problem...

Al laid there for a few minutes that seemed more like hours, feeling as stunned as he did when he was under the body-binding curse. What in Merlin's name just happened? Is this real life? Albus finally found his breath as his hand reached up to his neck, the soft breeze cooling the wet, sore spot where Scorpius' mouth had been torturing moments before. The boy couldn't help but feel divinely molested. He knew he should have tried harder to resist Scorpius, but avoiding the Slytherin all week had been rather exhausting and a large and irrational part of him had wanted to give himself over to the blonde boy to manipulate and play with. He would never admit such weakness to anyone but himself and yet as he lay there, flushed and tingling, all he wanted to do was follow the Slytherin back into Hogwarts and snog him senseless. But that would never end well so he remained where he was until he could regain all of his senses.

He just wished he knew what exactly was going on between the two of them because the Ravenclaw was never good at being in limbo, with people or with his feelings.

()

Since The Three Broomsticks was crowded to the brim with Hogwarts' students, Flair suggested her and Colette escape to the Hog's Head, a rather dingy pub that hadn't lost any of it's charms since Aberforth Dumbledore used to own it. A woman named Olivia now owned the pub/inn and over the years had tried to clean it up, but it seemed to be more work than it was worth because the tables were still rickety and the walls were still stained with years of abuse.

Flair glanced back at Colette and grinned, "I rather like this place. It has a surly charm to it."

"If you say so," Colette chuckled softly, her hazel eyes glancing around unimpressed.

"You don't like it?"

"Well I wouldn't say like, but it does have a 'surly charm' to it I suppose..." Colette agreed with a wink as she headed toward a vacant table, taking off her Serpents leather jacker and wrapping it around her chair. In all her years at Hogwarts, she had never bothered to come in here and now she knew why. However, having Flair there made her feel at ease.

"I've been meaning to ask you, what's up with the jackets? I mean, I think they're hot and all but what's the deal?"

Colette sat down and played with her mohawk, smiling sheepishly, "Well ever since we were little kids we always called ourselves The Serpents. All of our parents were Slytherins and we tended to idolize them growing up, as most kids do. We all spent so much time together that we thought we deserved to have a club. Thus The Serpents were born. The leather jackets are just Scorpius' and my way of feeling like badasses. The rest of the boys only wear theirs because they believe it makes us look like a legitimate group. Cody, my brother, isn't really into leather."

"Has anyone ever told you that you guys are kind of similar to The Jets in this old Muggle musical called West Side Story?"

Colette laughed suddenly, "Actually yeah. James Potter... Head Boy and in your house... told us that back in fourth year. Scorpius was so insulted to be compared to a muggle musical that he had us prank Potter senseless. However, Potter got his revenge, as usual, and Scorpius' hair remained red until the holidays when his dad had made him shave his head. Scorp was mortified."

Flair laughed along as she fingered her own red locks, "Well now I see why he doesn't like me."

Colette smiled and shook her head, "Nah, he just doesn't like change or things that are different. Especially people. I think the only reason he was so calm when I came out to him was because we've been best friends since birth. That and it meant he wouldn't have to worry about our parents trying to couple us together for marriage." She scrunched her face up in disgust as she thought about it.

"You guys would make gorgeous babies though," Flair pondered before grinning at Colette's shocked expression, "What? I'm just telling it how it is..."

"Shh, let's just rewind and pretend you never said that," Colette joked, ordering two butterbeers when Olivia came up, "I hope you don't mind me ordering for you..."

"No worries. What's a butterbeer?" Flair asked in excitement, always willing to try something new.

"You'll just have to wait and find out," Colette grinned mysteriously as she placed her hands on the table, picking at her fingernails nervously.

"So," Flair started, mimicking her motions as her own hands rested on the table, her bare forearms revealing plenty of fresh, slightly raised scratches, "What do you do for fu-"

"What happened to your arms?" Colette asked, alarmed, as she reached out and touched the marks, pulling back swiftly at the heat of the other girl's skin, "And you're really hot again. Are you running a fever?"

"Worrywart much?" Flair breathed lightly as she tried to keep a light tone, reaching out and grabbing the girls hands into her own again, desiring the girl's cooling touch more than she had expected.

"Sorry, it's kind of a habit being friends with four boys."

"No worries," Flair smiled easily, "No, I'm just naturally hot all the time, no pun-intended. And the marks... the marks are nothing serious..." She allowed her thumb to lightly graze over Colette's knuckles soothingly. As Flair turned the girl's tan hand over, she allowed her fingertips to trace patterns on the palm lazily before her ice blue eyes caught sight of multiple light scars cast haphazardly along Colette's wrists, some horizontal and others vertical, but both unmistakably self-inflicted. "What are these?"

Colette sighed softly and pulled away from Flair's touch, even though she terribly missed the fevered contact, "Nothing serious..."

Flair knew Colette had imitated her previously vague answer and shook her head with a sad smile, "Ok, I won't press. But if you must know, the scratches on my arms aren't what you think. They're from a rather unfriendly feline that belongs to one of my dorm mates. Cats and I have never gotten along."

Colette raised an eyebrow curiously as their butterbeers arrived, "Must be a rather malicious creature then. Your arms look like a Quidditch scoreboard."

"Ouch," Flair feigned hurt as she placed her hand over her heart, "there's that Slytherin tongue I've be warned so much about." She smiled as she brought the drink to her lips and took a sampling sip, moaning rather shamelessly as the buttery warm liquid filled her senses.

Colette couldn't help but bite her lower lip as she watched the redhead enjoy her first butterbeer experience, the clench in her stomach tightening as a little bit of foam lingered on the girl's lips. It didn't linger long though because Flair's tongue darted out to kidnap it back into her willing mouth. Flair noticed the lusty gaze in Colette's eyes and she couldn't help the blush that tinted her pale cheeks, "Sorry about that. I can't believe they don't have this in America! This shit's kind of orgasmic. "

"I noticed," Colette croaked lightly before coughing, trying to clear the sudden dryness in her throat. She took a big gulp of butterbeer hoping it would ease her tension, but it only seemed to remind her of the little show that had just transpired as the "orgasmic" liquid slid down her throat.

Flair simply shook her head in amusement and had another drink before becoming serious, "Just so you know, if I ever see new marks on your arms, I have every intention of inflicting them on myself and making you watch. You're far too beautiful to do that to yourself." Her ice blue eyes showed that there was no light humor or joke in her statement.

Mid-gulp, Colette's eyes bulged slightly and all she could do was merely nod her head in understanding before finally swallowing.

"But," Flair continued, smiling again, "onto lighter topics."

The next couple hours seemed to fly by as the two girls laughed and talked, the topics ranging from what animal they would be if they could be an Animagus to what their families were like. Flair Ellison decided that she didn't care what people said about Slytherins. If Colette was any example of their house, then she was smitten with the green and silver clan.

It wasn't until Scorpius Malfoy burst into the dingy pub with a sour scowl and venomous eyes plastered on his face that Flair was reminded as to why the Slytherins' house mascot was a snake.

()

Jeremy and Rose were sitting on a bench under a secluded tree, surrounded by fallen orange leaves. They were chatting happily and Albus couldn't help but feel slightly irritated that Rose was still hanging out with the 7th year. Maybe she's just trying to feel him out for me and see if he could be the secret admirer. Al tried to convince himself as he approached the two Ravenclaws, a warm grin on his face.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Al," Rose grinned back and made room for him to sit on her other side as she remained close to Jeremy, obviously not getting the hint to leave.

"Hey Albus," Jeremy smiled as he pulled out his artist pad and a sharpened charcoal pencil, "So do you mind if I go first?"

"Uh, sure." Al blinked in surprise at Jeremy's forcefulness before glancing at his cousin, fiddling with his scarf to make sure his newly-acquired hickey was covered properly. "Hey Rosie, why don't you go and get use some Butterbeers?"

"Sure..." Rose furrowed her eyebrows slightly before getting the hint in Albus' eyes, "Oh yeah, sure. Three butterbeers. Got it. Be back soon!"

"Bye, Rose," Jeremy replied fondly before glancing back at Albus, "This should be interesting. I don't think either of us has posed for each other before."

"Yeah, I guess we haven't," Albus spoke shyly, suddenly feeling strangely awkward with the older boy; it was as if everything was different now because he assumed Jeremy was the S.A. (it's what Rose and Albus decided to call the secret admirer; it just made it seem less ambiguous).

"Well relax and get comfortable then. You're going to be there for a while..."

A somewhat comfortable silence came over them, but Al still felt strained. He couldn't help but feel afraid to speak his mind with Jeremy about things that used to come so easily. He felt as if he had to impress him now.

"So, uh, did you see my new art set?" Al asked, suddenly feeling like a child asking a parent for recognition. He mentally berated himself for sounding like he was seven.

"Um, yea," Jeremy bit down on his tongue while he concentrated, "It has everything you'll ever need."

"Yea, whoever bought it for me certainly knew what they were doing..." Albus trailed off, glancing at Jeremy expectantly.

Silence.

Albus sighed lightly and resigned to simply posing quietly, suddenly doubting his suspicions regarding Jeremy.

"Al?"

"Yea?" Albus asked hopefully, thinking this might be the end of the mystery and that Jeremy would come clean.

"Um, do you know if anyone is dating Rose?"

"M-My cousin?" Albus gaped, unsure.

"Yea..." Jeremy answered hesitantly, smudging some charcoal on the side his nose accidentally as his itched it absently before swiping the same hand through his blonde hair, getting more charcoal there as well.

"N-No."

"Why are you stuttering, Al? Are you okay?" Jeremy glanced at him in concern, touching his shoulder carefully.

"I-I'm fine. And I'm n-not stuttering," Albus stammered in annoyance, "I'm just surprised is all."

"I know. I'm sorry. We never talk about this kind of stuff," Jeremy immediately apologized, pushing his glasses back up his nose, "It's just... I can't take it anymore, honestly. I've been into your cousin since the end of fifth year."

Albus' eyes grew into two huge green saucers, his mouth open slightly.

Albus' silent gawking made Jeremy's uncharacteristically insecure rant continue, "And well you see, I figured it was my last year here and I'm sick of just hiding in the background, and I don't have O.W.L.S. or N.E.W.T.S. to worry about this year, and I've never seen her date anyone, and we've hit it off rather well these past few days, and I thought that maybe I would ask her to be my date for the Halloween Ball, and I just wanted to make sure she was at least single before I made a fool of myself."

Albus waited for him to take a breath before he spoke up, "Woah, Jeremy calm down."

"Sorry," Jeremy smiled sheepishly, twirling his pencil with his fingers out of nervous habit.

"It's quite alright," Albus confirmed, trying hard to not indulge the sinking feel in his stomach as he realized that his artist friend was not his S.A. He actually started to feel silly for even thinking it, but now was not the time to dwell on such theories. His friend needed him and Al was one who tended to put others' needs before his own. He gently reached forward and fixed the boys rumpled hair, trying to smooth out the charcoal mess his friend had made, "Well, you're not going to impress her looking like a bum."

Jeremy shared a chuckle with him as they stared at each other, Albus realizing that even though the 7th year was quite attractive, he really wasn't attracted to him as much as he thought he was; it was actually a comforting thought. Potter continued to tidy up Jeremy's appearance and the older boy let him, his soft smile still in place.

"Am I completely hopeless?"

"Not completely," Albus teased lightly as he wiped the smudge off of Jeremy's nose affectionally, "But I'll tell you one thing, if you plan on asking Rose to the dance, you should try and be creative about it. She loves creativity and brains more than looks. You, however, have all three in my opinion."

Jeremy blushed and silently thanked Albus as he pulled back, deciding to go back to drawing his dear friend. Albus just chuckled at his friend's insecurity and merely went back to posing, rattling off ideas for Jeremy to use until Rose came back with their butterbeers. The three continued their relaxing afternoon, completely blind to a Slytherin watching them in resentment.

()

Scorpius couldn't believe his eyes. Albus Potter, his Albus Potter was not only being drawn but was intimately touching some other bloke... to the point of making the spectacled boy blush. The Slytherin felt his skin heat up in frustration as he gripped his wand threateningly, his knuckles turning white. He noticed how Albus' neck was protectively covered by his bronze and blue scarf, much to his disappoint, because he really would have liked the satisfaction of at least seeing his mark tainting the Ravenclaw's throat. The physical proof that Albus was his and his alone to play with. The Slytherin reached up and touched his own cheek tenderly, wincing a little in pain from his own mark which was now only a light purple since he had done some basic healing and glamour charms earlier, but they weren't his strong suit.

He couldn't really hear what they were talking about without being noticed so he was forced to try and read lips which was a language he unfortunately hadn't mastered. Even when the bushy-haired redhead returned, Jeremy and Albus continued to look at each other inconspicuously as if they shared a secret no one else knew; it made Scorpius' eyes see red. The blonde stormed away before he did something rash, already plotting the death of the older waif of a boy.

He had expected to find Colette on her little date in The Three Broomsticks but was shocked when Cody said that they had left and went to Hog's Head instead. Scorpius, hardly caring if he was being extremely selfish at the moment, burst into the pub and headed straight for the giddy couple before grabbing Colette's arm forcefully and dragging her away from the irate American.

Next Time on Jigsaw Love:

Cody is still giving Adrian the cold shoulder until the blue-eyed boy takes matters into his own hands; Rose and Flair find an alliance in each other; the new Divination professor takes an odd interest in Al; Another S.A. gift arrives but even Scorpius is surprised to see what it is; Jeremy ends up in the Hospital Wing after an anonymous attack.


	7. Making Up and Making Trouble

"Scorpius, what are you doing?" Colette all but screeched once she was finally dragged out of the pub, her hazel eyes slits of anger as she pushed Scorpius roughly, "I was on a date, if you hadn't noticed."

"I had noticed, unfortunately," Scorpius sneered rather loudly as he looked past his friend. Colette realized that Flair had followed them out and was now standing protectively next to the darker girl.

"Look, just because you can't get who you want doesn't mean you need to ruin it for your friend... or me," Flair warned knowingly as she gripped her wand in disdain and pointed it toward the Slytherin.

The blonde chose to ignore the beginning of her statement, slightly irked by her choice of words. "I'm positive you're not what my friend wants, you red-haired lion-loving no-good American slag," Scorpius insulted with his own wand raised readily.

Scorpius and Flair continued to stare each other down with wands pointed menacingly until Colette physically stepped in between them, looking up at her best friend as she admonished him. "Scorpius! Can you please refrain from hexing Flair? I'd like for there to be a second and maybe even a third date after this one... if you haven't already insulted her away."

"It's not me you should be scolding," Scorpius replied indignantly before glaring at the American again.

"A second one, really?" Flair's tone suddenly softened as she dropped her wand by her side, ice blue eyes gazing at Colette in pleasant surprise.

Colette turned around at Flair's tone, a small nervous smile spreading onto her lips as she blushed and rubbed the back of her neck, "Well, yeah... Granted if you were still interested in me after today..."

"I am," Flair nodded enthusiastically, a matching blush tinging her own cheeks, "I definitely am."

The two girls shared mirrored looks of nervous happiness before Scorpius coughed loudly, "Merlin, spare me."

Colette whipped her head back to the blonde with an irked glare before glancing back at the redhead, "Could you give us a minute?"

Flair nodded reluctantly before returning back inside the pub, but not before sticking out her tongue at Scorpius with crossed-eyes.

"Did you see that? Did you see that?" Scorpius scoffed in offense as he gestured to the retreating American, "How childish."

"Coming from the boy, yes boy, who dragged me out of a pub and then insulted my date. I'm just hoping she doesn't know what a slag is," Colette put her hands on her hips as she tapped her foot insistently, "I thought you said you'd ease up on the whole being-a-prat-thing after tryouts were over. Dare I say you've gotten worse."

Scorpius opened his mouth to argue but closed it again in defeat.

"The silent treatment then?" Colette sighed, annoyed, "If you keep this up, you're going to be one lonely Serpent, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. Cody and Adrian are still on bad terms with you and I'm not far behind. You're lucky Rodney can't think for himself. Just tell me what's going on..."

"I-I can't," Scorpius finally conceded.

"And why not? We've never kept anything from each other before," she raised her hand up to her friend's pale cheek as a caring gesture, "What's gotten you so upset?"

It was then that she finally noticed the purple-tinge to his skin, poorly concealed with a glamour charm.

"Scorpius, who hit you?"

"I'd rather not talk about -"

"Who?" Colette cut him off before slapping the bruise warningly, forcing the blonde to wince loudly and back away from her with widened eyes.

"Merlin woman!" Scorpius brought his hand up to his now throbbing face, the slap reawakening the pain from earlier, "It was just a misunderstanding..."

"Is it from Potter?"

"What makes you think that?"

"I saw how predatory you looked when you walked after him when I left with Flair. You've been looking at him like that a lot lately. What's going on?"

"I don't really want to get into it with you here," Scorpius cautiously glanced at their surroundings, "We'll talk later alright? Go back to your date..." He visibly cringed at the word.

"She's not so bad you know?" Colette smirked, entertained by her friend's stubborn ways, "Just different. You should give her a chance at least."

"Not going to happen," Scorpius seriously confirmed as he shook his head.

Colette sighed lightly, "Alright. For now though. If we actually start to date, I expect you to at least act civil toward her. You get me?"

Scorpius remained quiet until she poked him in the ribs warningly which made him finally grumble out a response. "Fine."

Colette smiled in triumph before bringing her friend into a hug, not caring if he remained awkwardly frozen or if he would reprimand her for the public display of affection.

"Geez Letty, you're extremely physical today. Are you always gonna be like this after a date with what's her face? Miss I-think-corsets-are-perfectly-acceptable-for-daily-wear?" Scorpius chided sarcastically with a scowl as he gently pushed her off.

Colette tried not to laugh. "Her name's Flair, you prude. And I'll remain this physical with you if you don't start acting like a proper gentleman." She crossed her arms over her chest as she continued, her voice dripping with threatened promise, "And you better have a good reason ready explaining why you interrupted my date. Don't think I'll forget this."

Scorpius made a small noise of fear in the back of his throat, knowing all too well that the smaller girl meant what she said. She wasn't in Slytherin just because of her father's lineage after all. The Zabini twin gave him one last look before reentering the pub, leaving the blonde outside alone to contemplate on exactly why he had acted so irrationally earlier.

Oh yeah, Potter... and that nerdy Ravenclaw, Scorpius thought darkly, allowing the feelings of jealousy to plague him once more. But how the hell was he going to explain that to Colette without explaining what Scorpius and Potter had been up to the past couple weeks? The blonde simply groaned and rubbed his temples before turning around and heading back to The Three Broomsticks, hoping the rest of The Serpents were still there and wouldn't give him as hard a time.

()

Later that night, after the room had darkened and all the bed curtains had been drawn, Adrian remained awake, glancing at the opening of his curtains expectantly. It had been almost a week since his best friend was in his bed last and the Slytherin was close to losing it. This whole time he had been lying to himself when he said he slept with Cody for the latter boy's sake. The truth of the matter was, Adrian needed Cody in his bed, needed the other boy's warmth to help him sleep. It was comforting in a way Adrian never truly appreciated until it was gone. For the past few nights, Adrian had only gotten a few hours here or there of sleep and it was starting to affect his school work and his mood, which was already rather unpleasant to begin with it you asked the majority of the Hogwarts' student body. He had received detention yesterday for hexing an innocent third year Hufflepuff because the little boy's smile reminded him of Cody and then another the day before because he verbally insulted a teacher during class. He was absolutely losing it.

Even when girls tried flirting with him in hopes of luring him into a broom closet, he all but became a stone, stiff and unexcitable. To make matters worse, Cody's neglect hadn't just happened at night but also seemed to filter into the daylight hours, practically ignoring Adrian and only awknowledging him when they were partnered for a lesson or in Quidditch practice (Adrian was Keeper and Cody a Beater along with his sister). The silent treatment was all but shaking the man's sanity loose. Adrian was passive agressive by nature and his passivity was beginning to wane considerably. He was sick of being silent and sick of being ignored. It was these last thoughts that prompted him to get out of his own bed and quietly head over to Cody's, entering it boldly and placing a silencing charm over it, remembering what Malfoy had said before and having no desire to be interrupted or reprimanded later.

Cody had tried to play possum and pretend to be asleep, knowing exactly who entered his bed, but when two familiar arms encircled his waist and pulled him close possessively, he jumped and exhaled heavily.

"Why have you been ignoring me?" Adrian whispered harshly in Cody's ear, wanting to hear the confession from his best friend even if Malfoy had told him earlier in the week.

Cody sighed softly and tried to lean out of Adrian's grasp, only to be pulled back against the other boy more dominantly.

"You're acting childish, Zabini. Tell me..." Adrian spoke again, his voice softer this time, almost sounding like a plea.

Cody turned himself around slowly until they were face-to-face and breath-to-breath, legs entwined intimately, "It was just something Malfoy said. It got me thinking... what we do isn't normal, Adri. What's going to happen when we graduate and we're not dorm mates anymore? I mean, who else sleeps with their best friend at sixteen?"

Adrian's blue eyes studied Cody's face as he spoke, hating how pained his best friend looked; he realized he never wanted to see Cody look this way ever again.

"I... I hardly slept this week without you," Adrian confessed, ignoring Cody's previous rhetorical questions, as his hand gently grazed the boy's tan cheek.

Cody sucked in a breath before letting it out slowly, wanting desperately to hope that Adrian's confession meant more but he just couldn't shake what Scorpius had said; the blonde's words were a reflection of what Cody had always feared but never wanted to admit.

"I mean it," Adrian pressed as if he knew what his best friend was thinking, his arms tightening around Cody so they were now nose-to-nose.

A small smile crossed Cody's lips before he forced it to disappear, wanting to remain stoic and unaffected by Adrian's persistent closeness, "Ok, but that still doesn't change anything. We're not little boys. And I... And I can't continue this with you if... if..."

"If what?" Adrian dared to ask him, wanting to hear what the other Slytherin desired to say.

Cody sighed irritably and shook his head, starting to pull away from Adrian, his hazel eyes saddened. They had been through this numerous times before and it was always Cody that had been vulnerable, been honest about his more-than-friendly feelings toward Adrian. He was sick of always being the one to express his feelings, only to be rewarded by finding Adrian fucking some girl the next day in a broom closet.

Fear suddenly struck Adrian as he felt Cody literally slip away from him and he did the only think he could think of: he kissed him. The kiss was slow and promising, Adrian's hand holding Cody's head in place so the boy couldn't escape. Once he needed air, Adrian pulled away and spoke breathlessly, "I love you."

Cody blinked a couple times as he tried to regain his composure before finally speaking, his voice soft, "What?"

"I love you," Adrian repeated again, this time a little more confidently. The phrase sounded foreign on his lips and he couldn't remember a time when he had ever used it; he never even used the phrase with his parents, much to his mother's dismay. And with Cody, he always responded to the boy's proclamations of love with either a kiss or tight hug, but never with words.

Since Cody remained unnervingly quiet, Adrian continued, trying to keep his voice steady, "I always knew I cared about you more than anyone else, but this week I realized that I do indeed love you. More than anything. I haven't be able to sleep, because my bed feels empty without you in it. And when girls tried to seduce me this week all I could think about was how I would rather be spending time with you. I even hexed a stupid Hufflepuff because his smile reminded me of you..."

"I heard about that," Cody replied quietly with a chuckle, still trying to wrap his head around his best friend's confession.

"Yeah, not my most shining moment," Adrian muttered regrettably, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that not having you around this week was pure torture..."

Cody couldn't help the pleased smile that crossed his face, finally feeling at peace with his own desires.

"Well aren't you going to say anything?" Adrian asked insecurely, not used to being open and vulnerable with someone and remembering why he never was; it was bloody distressing.

"Well, I was going to suggest we prank Scorpius for being such an ass, but now I think we might have to thank him for opening your eyes," he grinned before leaning over and kissing Adrian passionately, giving the other boy his answer to his confession.

Adrian moaned gently in Cody's mouth as the tan boy rolled on top and straddled him, kissing along Adrian's jaw until he reached his ear, "So you're telling me you didn't screw around with anyone this week?"

Adrian lightly laughed at Cody's disbelieving tone before speaking, "Not one. They all pale in comparison to you. You're home to me, Cody."

Cody smirked in satisfaction before he nibbled on the boy's earlobe, grinding his hips down teasingly as Adrian moaned rather loudly. "Shh, we don't want to wake up the blonde prince," Cody admonished jokingly before covering Adrian's lips with his own once more.

"Silencing charm," was all Adrian said against the boy's lips smugly.

Cody pulled back, much to Adrian's annoyance, and glanced down at the blue-eyed Slytherin, "Well then, I guess I'm going to have to prove why I out shine the rest then, aren't I?"

"If you feel you must," Adrian replied nonchalantly, though there was a hopeful tone to his voice and slight upward tug of his lips.

Cody simply shook his head at his friend's insistence on being calm and collected before bending back down and capturing the boy's pale neck, biting into it and roughly sucking, wanting everyone to know that Adrian belonged to him.

"Merlin Cody," Adrian gasped as his neck was practically raped by teeth and tongue, forcing his hips to buck up uncontrollably while his desire tightened below his pants.

Cody finally released the boy's neck before he sat up and ordered Adrian's shirt to be removed, which Thames willingly granted, the black T-shirt thrown off rather quickly before Cody continued his mouth's ministrations. As he licked down Adrian's firm abdomen, Cody wondered why they never did this before. Up until now, they had only snogged and groped each other, but clothes usually stayed on because Adrian would freak out otherwise, claiming it couldn't go any further between best friends, especially boy best friends. But now the normally modest boy was bucking and moaning rather barbarically and Cody found that he adored every minute of it. Even more so, because it was him that was making the poised unemotional boy slowly unravel.

The tan Slytherin pinched Adrian's sensitive nipples teasingly as he kissed him, forcing his tongue between Adrian's lips when he gasped in pleasure. Adrian wasn't used to Cody being so forceful and he was finding it to be a rather exciting surprise.

"I'm going to make you scream my name," Cody whispered against Adrian's lips as his hips rubbed down against the boy's roughly, their covered erections pulsating from the desired pressure.

"Doubt that," Adrian replied hoarsely with a sly smirk before kissing him again, grabbing Cody's ass and grinding up against him, forcing the darker boy to groan and throw his head back.

"Fuck," Cody cursed before forcing Adrian's hands off of his ass, determined to remain in control; he wanted to prove to himself and to Adrian that he was better than the female population at Hogwarts when it came to pleasing his Slytherin.

Cody worked his wet mouth back down the pale boy's stomach, sliding his tongue along the waistband before looking up at Adrian, waiting for his consent.

"Please," Adrian all but whispered as he propped himself on his elbows, undeniably seduced by the lusty glaze that had settled over Cody's hazel eyes.

The hazel-eyed boy complied and inched Adrian's pants and boxers passed his hips and legs before tossing them aside, drinking in the vision of the taller boy with fervent thirst. "Damn."

Adrian allowed Cody to enjoy the view, comfortable enough with himself to know that he was a good-looking bloke. They had seen each other naked before, of course, but now it seemed different. More meaningful. This thought forced Adrian to blush slightly though he would never admit to reacting in a way that seemed girlish. Cody noticed the blush, even in the dim light, but knew better than to comment; it would most likely end anything that was about to happen and Cody wasn't going to risk it, he was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Adrian allowed them to get this far without freaking out.

Forcing himself out of his thoughts, Cody dipped his head down and kissed the tip of Adrian's throbbing erection, causing a small whimper to die in Thames' throat. The tanned boy smirked deviously before swiping his tongue along the leaking head, his hand wrapped around the base to steady it. Adrian grunted and irritably bucked up his hips, his blue eyes glaring at his best friend to get on with it.

"Patience, Adri," Cody taunted, giving the boy's cock a warning squeeze before his took the whole thing in his mouth, forcing Adrian to throw his head back against the pillows and moan thankfully.

Cody wanted to smile but made his mouth relax around the hardened member as he pulled back up with sucked-in cheeks, enjoying the bitter taste as he sunk his head down again. Adrian's hands immediately went into Cody's kinked hair, tugging his head back up before pushing him down, trying hard to not thrust his hips up into the boy's warm mouth.

"Fuck, Cody," Adrian breathed, internally scolding himself for never letting the boy do this sooner; none of the girls in Hogwarts could even compare to the perfect feel of Cody's inviting mouth; it just felt right.

Cody allowed Adrian to guide his head while his tongue swirled and his mouth sucked, wanting to desperately taste his love's release. Noticing that Adrian was holding back, Cody pulled back with gasping plea, "I want you to fuck my face, Adri. Don't worry, you're not going to hurt me."

Adrian couldn't help but grin before directing Cody's mouth to wrap around his cock once more, his hips beginning to gently thrust up in want as he held Cody's head in place. Cody swallowed gently as to not gag, extracting an enjoyable growl from Adrian as his bucking became more frantic, losing any sense of gentleness.

After a few more thrusts, Adrian came screaming Cody's name while the tan boy swallowed and sucked greedily on Adrian's cock until he felt it soften under his tongue. The pale boy pulled the other Slytherin up and kissed him senseless, enjoying the taste of himself on the other boy's lips. "Fucking hell," Adrian gasped out huskily before flipping his lover onto his back, removing his clothes in a heated rush, "My turn."

Cody couldn't help but grin impishly, extremely grateful for the silencing charm as the night filled with his unquenchable moans.

The next morning Scorpius couldn't help the small knowing smile that escaped his lips as he peered through his bed curtains to see Adrian leave Cody's bed, looking rather rumpled but extremely satisfied as he headed for his ritualistic morning shower.

Finally...

()

Rain drenched Hogwarts in a rather turbulent manner, creating a wet veil that shrouded the normally lovely view of the grounds from Hogwarts' library windows. Flair wanted to personally maim Albus for making them study on a Sunday, but since yesterday she had been extremely occupied with a certain Slytherin in a leather jacket and still had a couple subjects to catch up on, she bitterly agreed to meet with him.

"Only for a couple hours," Flair reminded her Ravenclaw friend as he dumped a stack of books quietly on their desk with a grin, "Ugh, Al, no one should be that happy about books."

Albus, still grinning, rolled his eyes and shook his head as he plopped down next to her, opening the first book which was on charms, "I'm not happy about that. But I do admit I have a rather unhealthy love affair with the written word."

"I didn't say it," Flair put up her hands mockingly with a smile, "Okay, well then what are you so happy about?"

Before Al had a chance to answer, a flurry of fluffy red hair appeared behind another stack of books. "Hey guys," the voice mumbled brightly behind the thick textbooks.

"Hey Rose," Albus replied in amusement as his cousin placed the stack down, expecting to see Rose sooner or later today. He had told her of his plans and she had seemed rather offended that he hadn't invited her to the library as well; it was only a matter of time before his best friend showed up out of spite, still not on friendly terms with the new girl.

Flair smiled in greeting, "Hey Rose."

Rose glanced at Flair and nodded her head briefly with a tight smile before sitting next to Al, glancing between the two of them, "What were you guys talking about?"

"Albus was just about to tell me what is making him so damn happy," Flair volunteered, hoping the answer would take a while and deter their studying.

"Oh, do tell..." Rose placed her chin in her hand as she glanced at him curiously.

"Well I was just going to say that I can't wait to see what my S.A. is going to bring me this week," Albus replied softly, a dreamy look in his eyes.

"S.A.?"

"His secret admirer," Rose offered to Flair, inwardly cherishing the fact that she knew something about Al that the American didn't.

"Al, you sly dog," Flair raised an eyebrow, "You have a secret admirer?"

"Yeah, we think it's Jeremy Holmes," Rose chimed in softly.

"No, no we don't," Albus shook his head quickly, remembering his conversation yesterday with the older Ravenclaw and wanting to nip that rumour before it grew.

"We don't?"

"No, Rose. We don't," Albus corrected, "He's very, very straight. I was silly to think it was him."

"Hmm," Rose hummed thoughtfully, tapping her chin, "So I was right then."

"Yes," the Ravenclaw sighed and shook his head, amused that that was all his cousin cared about. Typical Rose.

"Well, why did you think it was him in the first place?" Flair finally cut in, amused by their best-friend banter.

"Well, so far I've received a book that I've wanted, my favorite chocolates from Honeydukes, and an exquisite art set," Albus explained, naming off each thing on a finger, "I assumed it was him because I had told him about the book, everyone that knows me knows I love those chocolates because I usually carry some around with me and then the art set. He was always going on about how I needed a new one during our sessions. You heard him..."

"I did," Flair agreed, also vividly remembering someone else who might have heard him, "Well who do you think it could be then?"

"I have no idea," Albus sighed irritably as he slumped back in his chair, "It has to be another Ravenclaw though. No one else knew about my drawing hobby."

"Well, what if someone saw you one of those Saturdays? It's possible," Flair offered innocently.

"But unlikely," Albus countered, still slumped, "We hang out in a pretty secluded area and I think I would have heard someone spying on me."

Flair snorted in amusement, ignoring the strange looks she was receiving.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," Flair waved the question off, "I was just thinking about something Colette said yesterday."

"Date go well then?" Al inquired, thankful to change the subject since it seemed to be going nowhere helpful.

"Well I have another this week," Flair's grin said it all.

"With Zabini?" Rose finally cut in, her face astonished.

"Yeah... Look I know she's a Slytherin and a Serpent or whatever, but I really like her," Flair defended, thinking Rose was going to say something negative about her new crush.

"That's... cool," Rose finished lamely before smiling a little, "I guess I'm just glad she'll leave me alone now."

"Leave you alone?" Flair shot back, trying to hide the jealousy in her voice.

"Oh, it was nothing really," Rose spoke quickly, not wanting Flair to get the wrong idea, even if she really didn't like the new girl, "She would just hit on me often. I think she only did it because I would get so flustered. It never meant anything. She even said so."

"Or she has a thing for redheads," Flair grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm serious," Rose pressed, "I saw the way she looked at you that night we found you lost. She's never looked at me that way. You're the real deal. I wouldn't make that up."

Flair seemed pleased with that response as she relaxed in her chair, groaning when Albus demanded they actually take the time to study now.

Two hours later and another stack of books piled high, Flair finally caved, "No more."

"Just one more lesson..."

"No more," Flair said more dangerously, her eyes flashing yellow for a moment before softening, "Please, Al. I need a break. My non-Ravenclaw head is going to explode. I highly doubt Madam Coldswell will appreciate having Gryffindor brain matter strewn about the library."

"Ew, bad image," Rose stuck her tongue out in distaste before chuckling a little, realizing the American wasn't as annoying as she had previously presumed. In fact, she could see why Al and most of the school liked her so much.

"Exactly! See Al?" Flair whined before giving him puppy-dog eyes.

"Fine, fine. But that means tomorrow after dinner we continue," Albus forewarned, ignoring his friend's grumbling, "I'll start putting these books away." He picked up a stack and headed off, disappearing behind ominous rows and rows of shelves.

As soon as the Ravenclaw was out of sight, Flair leaned over the table looking at Rose intently, "I have something to tell you."

Rose raised an eyebrow curiously before looking around and leaning over, "What is it?"

"I think I may know who the S.A. is," Flair announced smugly.

"Who?"

"Malfoy," Flair spoke as if it were obvious.

"You're mad."

"No, I'm quite happy actually now that we're done studying."

"No, no I mean you're insane. Malfoy? He hates Potter," Rose informed the American, thinking the poor girl had obviously lost it from studying too much today.

"He doesn't. Have you seen them around each other? It makes me want to take a cold shower with all the heat they give off," Flair fanned herself dramatically for emphasis, "I swear Scorpius has the hots for him."

"I still think you're crazy," Rose shook her head in disbelief.

"Well I know for a fact he was spying on us the other day at the lake. When Al, Jeremy and I were drawing. I saw him."

"Well maybe he wanted to prank Albus."

"No," Flair said assuredly, "He was just watching us. Well, Albus to be more specific. It was kinda cute in a stalkerish way. And I saw a look of anger in his eyes when Al shared those chocolates. The ones I'm assuming were from the S.A."

"So... that means Malfoy could have known about Al liking art."

"Exactly," Flair grinned, "He overheard us talking about how Al needed a new art set because all of his supplies were almost used up."

"Bloody hell," Rose breathed before furrowing her eyebrows, "But what about that book?"

"That I don't know, but I bet last Saturday wasn't the first time Malfoy has spied on Al. Maybe he's been doing it for a while now..."

"I have noticed him looking at Al differently," Rose suddenly mused, remembering that night at dinner when Scorpius looked as if he wanted to kill Albus... or throw him up against a wall and ravish him. Rose cringed from the thought, "What if this is another one of his pranks though? Malfoy has been bullying Potter since our first year here..."

"Yeah because he's a Malfoy and Albus is a Potter. It's so Romeo and Juliet," Flair recited, feeling as if she said this often.

"I guess it is," Rose laughed softly, knowing the famous muggle play extremely well, "So how do we find out for sure?"

"I have a plan..."

()

Determined ice blue eyes wandered about the corridor on the fourth floor, searching intently for a pair of green ones. Once found, Professor Cassia Farlow zeroed in on her prey.

"Albus!" she called out with a wave, a small smile gracing her glossed lips.

Albus Potter turned at the sound of his name and smiled back at his new professor, walking over to her willingly, "What is it Professor?"

"I was wondering if I could have a word..."

"Of course," Albus' smile grew as he followed his Divination professor off to the side of the hall, avoiding the mass of students rushing to their classes.

"Well, I noticed that you don't have a period after breakfast on Mondays and Wednesdays and I was wondering if you'd like to come in and help with my class. Now I know I can't really offer you anything besides extra credit, which you don't really need, but I can promise a great recommendation letter when you graduate."

Albus pondered her request for a moment before scratching the back of his neck, "Why me, Professor? Rose is much smarter..."

"Not to insult your cousin, because I've heard many great things about her intelligence, but her gifts seem to lie in the more practical studies. She'd be useless in the art of Divination if there wasn't a book to tell her exactly what to do, which is probably why she's not taking my class this year," Cassia said kindly and Albus had to laugh in agreement, "I just feel you have a true grasp of the subject and I know you've been tutoring that new girl, Flair Ellison, as well as some others. You seem to have a knack for guiding those in need. Much like your famous father I assume..."

Cassia's eyes faded for a minute before blinking back to clarity, going unnoticed by Albus; he was far too enamoured with her compliment and comparison to his father, "T-Thank you, Professor. That means a lot."

"I only speak the truth," Cassia glanced up at the boy with a charming smile, Albus having a few inches on the smaller woman, who stood about 5'7 in her heels, "Think about my proposal. Even just once a week would be helpful. You and I both know the art of Divination can be difficult to those that don't have the eye."

Albus agreed with the nod of his head, yet he couldn't help but think that he was one of those who didn't have "the eye" so to speak. Yet he found himself telling Professor Farlow that he'd have an answer for her by tomorrow and with a satisfied smile, the strawberry blonde professor left without another word, leaving Al alone in the hallway since the rest of the students had already busied themselves to their first class of the day. Or so he thought.

"Tutoring Divination? She must be pulling your leg, Potter. You have the intuition of a Flobberworm," Scorpius drawled from his post against the wall, looking casual yet refined as always.

Albus sighed irritably even though a small burning sensation spread throughout his body at the sight of Scorpius in his leather jacket, "Don't you have a class to be in, Malfoy?"

Scorpius simply popped his leather jacket collar in response as if that would explain everything.

Albus rolled his eyes, figuring the sexy git had a free period as well since he wasn't wearing his school robes at the moment. The Ravenclaw started to make his way back to his common room before a hand reached out and grabbed his arm, forcing him back up against something warm and solid, or rather someone.

"It's rather rude to leave in the middle of a conversation," Scorpius taunted in whisper, wrapping his arms around the Ravenclaw possessively before playfully blowing on Al's ear.

"I'm pretty sure a conversation requires both parties to speak," Al shot back, jerking his head away as Scorpius blew on his ear. And not looking delectable while popping the collar of your sexy leather jacket in response, he thought as a side note.

"Haven't you ever heard of body language?" Scorpius quipped slyly as he drew Albus closer, slipping a slender finger down the side of his neck to pull down his blue and bronze scarf. Once he caught sight of the fading hickey, he kissed the spot tenderly, allowing his lips to linger as he spoke, "I see you didn't bother charming it away..."

Albus couldn't help the rather violent shiver that ran through his body as the Slytherin pressed his soft lips against that tender spot in such a strangely gentle fashion. Albus had thought about charming it away or stealing some of Rose's make up to cover it plenty of times over the weekend, but when he looked at the hickey in the mirror an odd sense of pleasure mixed with pride filled him. He hated himself for it, of course, but he liked the fact that Scorpius had marked him. Of all people. Even if it was done out of revenge for him punching the blonde. Luckily, due to the cold weather, Albus had managed to keep it hidden from the girls yesterday in the library with his house scarf. He didn't know what he would say if they had found out and asked.

Scorpius smirked triumphantly as he felt Albus shiver against him and gasp softly in pleasure, "Maybe I should make it darker..."

The sound of heavy footsteps clicking down the quiet corridor brought Al back to reality, and he quickly untangled himself from Scorpius' tempting grasp and hurried off down the hall, not bothering to glance back. Scorpius, on the other hand, turned around quickly and glared daggers at whomever was approaching, the expression on his face instantly paling as his best friend stared at him in shock.

"Was that Ravenclaw-Potter in your arms just now... with your lips on his neck?"

()

Tuesday morning came rather quickly and without care to Albus' lack of sleeping the night before. The tired Ravenclaw was practically a zombie during breakfast, placing his head on Rose's shoulder and nodding off absently until she shrugged him off, looking at him quizzically.

"Bad dreams?"

"Something like that," Albus yawned before taking a sip of his orange juice, closing his eyes to block out the brightness of the Great Hall. In truth, Albus had stayed up because he couldn't get a certain Slytherin to politely stay out of his dreams. Everytime he tried to go to sleep, Scorpius Malfoy would be in his mind, ridiculing him with that stupidly smug smirk on those tantalizingly soft lips. Giving up on sleep altogether, he felt prompted to grab The Marauder's Map and watch the 'Scorpius Malfoy' dot as it remained frozen in the 6th year Slytherin dorm until the sun rose, annoyed that the blonde seemed to be unaffected by their confusing charade. Yesterday had only proven to make Albus more confused to the point where he almost wished for the old Malfoy back, the one who would prank him and keep his damn tempting hands and lips to himself. Almost wished.

Rose just gave him a pitying glance before returning to her food, a mischievous glint in her eye that Al was too exhausted to notice. She glanced around curiously before commenting, "Hey, where's Jeremy?" She was quickly becoming used to having his presence around.

"Didn't you hear?" Albus mumbled as he placed his head in his arms, turning it so his cousin could hear him clearly, "Someone hexed him pretty bad last night while he was doing his prefect rounds. His partner, Sophie Miles, didn't see who is was because she was down a different hall. I'm sure James is going to enforce stricter standards for us now."

"Goodness, I had no idea!" Rose sounded genuinely worried.

"You should go visit him," Al suggested from his sleepy post, "He'll be there for a couple days at least. I'm sure he'd really like it." He opened one bloodshot eye to peak at his cousin, a knowing glimmer hinting there despite the tiredness.

A small blush crept on Rose's cheek when she caught Al's look, clearing her throat and proceeding to "carelessly" butter her toast, "I suppose I will."

A satisfied look washed over Al's face before the sounds of screeching owls forced his head to snap up in anticipation. It had been over a week since his S.A. had sent him a gift and he was beginning to think that maybe they had lost interest in him. Still, the sounds of the morning post continued to excite him. A small, tired grin appeared on his face when a small parcel appeared in his lap, wrapped as meticulously as the others had been but this time in a rather pretty silver paper and not the same midnight blue color. Al just shrugged, too tired to care about such trivial details, and set about opening his gift, handing the note to Rose to read out of habit.

Rose took the note precisely and read it quietly to Al.

Dearest Albus,

I hope you enjoy silver. Wear it often and think of me.

My Heart Is Yours,

Your Secret Admirer

Albus gasped softly as he pulled back a box to reveal a rather masculine silver chain bracelet with a blue thread weaved through it. "Wow..."

Rose looked at the gift and forced a look of shock as she took it out of the box, inspecting it. "Wow indeed. It's lovely."

"It is," Albus agreed as he held his right wrist out expectantly, an undeniable smile brightening up his tired face. Rose willingly obliged and placed the bracelet around the boy's slender wrist before sneaking a furtive glance at Flair across the hall, who was looking back at her with equal amusement. Once their eyes caught, they both chanced a glance at the Slytherin table, hardly shocked at what they witnessed.

Albus continued to study the piece of jewelry with strong admiration, blissfully oblivious of the perplexed yet undeniably incensed gaze of one Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy.

Next time on Jigsaw Love:

Scorpius has a hard time controlling his reaction toward Al's new mysterious gift; Flair is in for an eye-opening surprise in Care of Magical Creatures; Colette figures out Scorpius' dirty little secret; Halloween Ball invitations begin with some interesting revelations; Albus inquires to a certain Veela cousin about Professor Farlow.


	8. Invitations, Inquiries and Insights

There was no big gay announcement. No rainbow banners or prancing unicorns to declare what had evolved between the two boys. In fact, Cody Zabini and Adrian Thames went back to their normal routine of being best friends during the day and sleeping together at night... just with some added bonuses such as all-night sex marathons or secret snog sessions in between classes. To the outside world, they looked as synchronized as they had always been. The only sign that might have given away their new relationship status was the increasing number of hexed female students being sent to the hospital wing. Cody Zabini never really shared well with others once he knew something was his.

The Serpents knew, of course, and even Scorpius said he was happy for them under the condition that they continued to charm their beds silent at night. Since his increasing intimacy with Potter, Scorpius felt he really didn't have the right to feel disdain toward his best mates and their relationship anymore.

Speaking of Potter. Scorpius grimaced as he continued to eye the confusing scene before him. Based on the gossipy chatter evolving in the Great Hall, Albus seemed to have received another secret admirer gift but Scorpius knew it wasn't from him, because he had yet to figure out what he was going to gift next. Unpronounced anger began to accumulate rather suddenly within his normally controlled persona and Scorpius needed to remind himself to breath before he popped and did something rash. As if matters couldn't get any worse, Colette Zabini decided that now was the perfect time to storm into the Great Hall, plop herself next to Scorpius and demand his attention.

"You've been avoiding me," she said pointedly.

"Not now, Zabini," he shot back coldly, eyes never leaving the Ravenclaw's table. Some idiotic second year Ravenclaw was blocking his view from the gift Albus was fondly admiring and Scorpius was more than half-tempted to transfigure the younger student into something transparent so he could see properly.

"Scorpius!" Colette hissed roughly as she grabbed his arm, shooting dirty looks toward a couple of fellow housemates that eyed her strangely before going back to their breakfasts.

"What?" Scorpius finally turned to the persistent girl, his eyes harsh, but beneath them was a look of intense calculation as the grey-eyed boy continued to try and figure out what the meaning of Al's new gift meant.

Colette took a moment to calm herself and shake off the quiver she received from her friend's hard look before continuing, "You've been avoiding me since yesterday... and don't deny it."

It was true. Scorpius would be a fool to try and play it off as something else. After Colette caught Albus fleeing from Scorpius' hold, she had tried to question him for an explanation as to why Ravenclaw-Potter fled as if he were caught in the arms of the devil. Scorpius' response was a mere shrug and smug smirk as if he were indeed the devil himself before he swiftly excused himself. Ever since yesterday morning, Colette hadn't seen him at all. When she had asked the other boys about his whereabouts, they merely gave her a pitied glance and informed her that they weren't willing to risk castration from their Serpent leader for giving her his location. Needless to say, the three remaining Serpents each had a couple bruises decorating their arms that could only be formed from tiny angry lady hands.

"I just need to deal with something first," Scorpius chanced a glance back at Albus, who had already started gathering his things to leave the Great Hall for their Care of Magical Creatures Class, "But I promise we'll talk at lunch, okay? And if I don't show up for some reason, I'll let you hex my hair. Deal?"

Colette's eyebrows shot up in surprise before nodding her head, appeased. She knew he'd keep his word if his immaculate hair was being offered as an incentive. "Fine. Lunch then."

Scorpius nodded in agreement before suddenly rising to his feet and following Al out of the Great Hall with a throng of other students heading to classes.

Albus was so caught up in his new gift, he wasn't aware he was being herded into Classroom 11 until he realized he was cast in darkness with a scenery of formidable trees, quickly figuring out who would have pulled him in here, "Malfoy..."

But before the Ravenclaw could finish his sentence, said-Malfoy grabbed Albus' right wrist and jerked it toward his glowing wand to inspect the bracelet, "Who gave you this?"

"Malfoy," Albus tried again, quickly losing his patience and not wanting to be late to class, "What are you playing at?"

"Who gave it to you?" Scorpius spoke more slowly as if Albus hadn't understood him the first time.

"My secret admirer, if you must know," Albus tugged his arm back protectively, glaring at the Slytherin through the wandlight before turning to open the door.

Scorpius pressed the slender boy up against the closed door, his hand finding the braceleted wrist and covering it with his own hand possessively while trying to keep his voice taunting and without emotion, "A secret admirer hmm? How trite... and obviously false. So it's come to this has it? You sending yourself gifts under the pretense of a secret admirer just to make yourself feel good inside? Pathetic..."

Scorpius' hand burned through Albus' skin, warming the silver that now decorated his wrist, causing small shivers to run up Al's arm pleasantly. However, Albus was feeling a mix between exhaustion and on cloud nine this morning from his new bracelet, so he wasn't in the mood for the strange game they had been playing recently. "Well believe it or not, it's real. And if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're jealous." His green eyes flashed in challenge before he wrenched his wrist away and exited without another word, leaving Scorpius dumbfounded and alone in the darkened classroom for the second time this school term, wondering when he had lost the upper hand in their "game".

Why is he always running away...

Albus managed to catch up with his two favorite redheads on their way to the gamekeeper's hut, looking a little flushed from running.

"There you are!" Flair beamed before linking her arm in his, "We were going to send out the hounds soon."

"Yeah, I just got held up but nothing I couldn't handle."

"Let me have a look at this bracelet then," Flair snuck a knowing look at Rose as she reached for Al's wrist, "Rose will not shut up about it."

Rose just rolled her eyes playfully before daring to glance behind them, amused to find a rather ruffled Scorpius Malfoy glaring daggers at Albus' back as he followed the trio to their shared class.

The three continued to talk excitedly about Al's S.A. until Hagrid quieted everyone down. Hagrid was still the gamekeeper and professor for Care of Magical Creatures, the only sign of his age showing in the grey that threaded itself through his hair and burly beard. The luck of being a half-Giant, he would joke on occasion.

"Alright now settle down," Hagrid's booming voice demanded everyone's attention, contrasting greatly with his over-friendly smile, "Today we have a real treat for ya. I doubt any of you's will be able to see these fine creatures, but you'll be able to feed and touch them today. Can anyone guess which creatures I may be referring to?"

Just like her mother, Rose's hand shot up enthusiastically before she spoke, "Professor Hagrid are you talking about Thestrals?"

Hagrid nodded happily before directing the class toward the outskirts of the forbidden forest, telling them to turn to the page on Thestrals in their books once they approached an empty clearing.

"They're marvelous!" Flair gasped as her blue eyes widened considerably, the grip on Al's arm tightening as her gaze remained transfixed ahead. There were about fifteen horses in the clearing, all ranging in size. However what made these horses unique was the dark skeleton-like bodies, reptilian faces and large leathery wings that each creature possessed; they held a captivating and dark beauty that Flair had never seen before.

Most of the class, including Hagrid, immediately stopped turning their pages before glancing at her strangely, the students looking back and forth between Flair and the empty area in confusion; Scorpius Malfoy was the only one who didn't bother and actually looked rather bored with the whole ordeal while he stood next to a gobsmacked Colette Zabini.

"You can see them?" Al raised his eyebrows so high it felt painful.

"Yeah, can't you?" Flair finally broke her gaze and turned to Al quizzically, obviously not paying much attention to Hagrid's warning when they had walked into the forest.

"No, I can't," Al shook his head fervently, sputtering out the next words, "Only those that have witnessed a death can see them..."

Flair's face could only be described as horrified as a long pregnant silence developed among the class, followed quickly by hushed whispers and judgmental looks until Hagrid cleared his throat and decided to try to gain control of his class once more.

"Right, well Miss Ellison, since you can see them as well, you and Mr. Malfoy can begin feeding them to settle their nerves," Hagrid lifted the wet satchel he had brought with him, pulling out too raw steaks and handing one to Scorpius before the second to Flair.

Flair remained frozen in shock until a young Thestral made it's way over to her, nudging her leg impatiently until she blinked back to reality and glanced down, smiling faintly as she surrendered the meat despite the chilling feeling that was starting to spread over her nerves, making her feel cold despite her normally high temperature.

Malfoy simply tossed the meat toward the male Thestral, Tenebrus, as if he could care less. But a small smirk dared to cross his lips when the now-fed horse came over and nudged his face in an almost loving manner. Ever since third year, after witnessing his Grandmother Greengrass' fatal potions accident, he had come to rather enjoy the dark creatures that pulled their carriages to Hogwarts each year. He had come across the main male, Tenebrus, the spring of his fourth year when he had received detention with his fellow Serpents and they had to serve it in the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid. Hagrid was delighted someone else could see them and said that if the blonde had ever wanted to visit or feed them that he would allow it. At the time, Scorpius had scoffed as if he were offended to be asked to do something so lowly as to feed raw meat to creatures, but after that detention, he religiously fed them monthly in secret, finding their quiet company extremely serene. Even though they didn't know of his constant monthly visits, the Serpents had known Scorpius could see them and he had planned on keeping it that way. Until now of course.

Blundering Oaf... he thought about Hagrid in irritation as he reached his hand out to pet the large creature. Tenebrus seemed to sense Scorpius' irritation but he refused to budge until he had been given the affection he desired from the pale boy.

The Slytherin would be fibbing if he had said he wasn't shocked to find the American next to him, apparently aware of their existence as well; he just always tried to remain emotionless whenever feelings other than apathy affected him. Call it a Malfoy trait. And as much as he wanted to be mad that someone else could see them, he was actually internally grateful to not be the only one anymore. But hell if he would admit that.

"Are you afraid, American?" Scorpius said haughtily, finding the expression in her eyes priceless.

The snide comment forced Flair to focus, immediately becoming defensive as she petted the tiny Thestral colt, "Of course not, Blondie."

Scorpius sneered at the nickname, "Don't call me that."

"Stop calling me American then."

"But you are one."

"And you're blonde," Flair shot back as if it were obvious.

"So who died?" Scorpius spoke next, his voice oddly soft, as he changed the topic of their conversation.

Flair was taken aback by the Slytherin's change in tone and blatant question. The pair of them had managed to move a little ways from the congregated class while they continued to pet the creatures, who were still a bit wary of the group of teenagers with flabbergasted expressions. The students still looked rather confused as to what Flair and Scorpius were gently petting and feeding, especially Rose who busily flipped the pages of her book since looking at invisible creatures seemed to be a waste of her time.

"You first."

Scorpius sighed gently before confessing, "My grandmother. Potion's accident." He didn't know what possessed him to speak the truth. Perhaps it was the relief of knowing someone else could see the Threstrals and therefore had suffered like he had, even if she was a bloody annoying American that had somehow charmed his best friend into a blubbering lovesick puppy. "Your turn."

Flair swallowed with much difficulty before looking at Scorpius, imminent fear clouding her normally bright, clear eyes so intensely that Scorpius knew her next words were nothing but the truth, "I have no idea..."

The rest of Care of Magical Creatures had continued rather awkwardly, considering the fact that the rest of the students had no idea what they were touching and had to solely rely on depictions in their textbooks. It was also rather tense, because no one dared to ask why Flair or Scorpius could see the animals when they couldn't even though it was the sole question on everyones' minds.

()

It wasn't until lunchtime that some questions were to be answered. Colette had waited patiently for Scorpius outside the Great Hall, her back pressed casually against the brick wall. She was busy picking at her fingernails when a petite presence stood next to her.

"Hey you."

An instant grin burst onto Colette's face as she glanced up at the redhead, pulling her into a hug and nuzzling her face in the warm nook of Flair's neck. "Hi, I missed you."

Flair chuckled gently, "You were just with me in Care of Magical Creatures. And then again in Transfiguration, silly."

"It's not the same," Colette whined playfully as she pulled back, her hazel eyes disapproving. They were both starting to receive interested glances as students started to pile into the hall for lunch, but both girls seemed oblivious, forgetting that no one knew of their relationship status yet since their date at Hog's Head had been rather private.

"Then let me make it up to you," Flair grinned impishly before setting her lips upon the Slytherin's, her body melting into the taller girl's.

Colette moaned softly into the kiss as her stomach was repeatedly attacked by malicious butterflies. It wasn't until loud catcalls and disappointed sighs from some of the male population erupted in the background that she finally pulled away and glanced around, a satisfied smirk on her lips, "Well there goes your boy fan club."

Flair kept her gaze on Colette before she grabbed the girl's distracted head and brought it back to attention, "I could really care less." She continued to smile as she pressed her forehead against Colette's, slowly inching her lips back to the darker girl's once more.

The sound of someone impatiently clearing their throat had Flair snap her head back with yellow-tinted eyes, "What?"

Scorpius, not expecting the volatile reaction from her eyes, took a step back before composing himself, "Merlin, American. Get a hold of yourself."

"Oh, it's you," Flair rolled her eyes, which had returned to their ice blue hue, before going back to kissing Colette. The latter chuckled slightly into the kiss before reluctantly removing her lips from the redhead's.

"Actually, babe, I need to speak to Scorpius. He owes me an explanation," Colette narrowed her eyes at her best friend before pecking a kiss on Flair's cheek, "But I promise we will continue this later. Definitely going to continue this later." She added as an afterthought, a devilish grin on her face.

Flair pouted slightly but conceded before turning to the other Slytherin with an mockingly-sweet wave of her hand, "See you around, Blondie." A triumphant smile graced her lips when Scorpius' cheeks practically reddened in anger.

"Blondie?" Colette finally mused as she watched Flair walk off, unable to keep her hazel eyes off the swishing of the other girl's skirt.

"Over here," Scorpius snapped his fingers in front of his friend's face.

"Just wait..." Colette brushed Scorpius' hand away from her face as she continued to watch her girl walk off. It wasn't until the swishing skirt and it's owner turned the corner and disappeared that Colette finally returned her attention to her blonde best friend. "Do you want to talk here?"

"Geez, Colette. Way to be a bloke," Scorpius teased before shaking his head and gesturing down the corridor toward the entrance hall, "No, let's walk." Once they were out of earshot and the last of the remaining students had entered the Great Hall, Colette turned on her friend.

"So what's going on? I know you and Potter were doing something suspicious yesterday and it didn't look like the bullying sort."

Scorpius sighed loudly as he ruffled his hands through his hair, biding his time, before leaning against the wall for support. How the hell am I going to explain this?

"It wasn't bullying... technically," he started, keeping his gaze rooted to the floor, "Have you heard about that Secret Admirer bullshit being gossiped about..."

"Albus' Secret Admirer?" Colette asked curiously, her eyes beginning to show their understanding as she tried to piece things together.

"Yeah, that one. Well," Scorpius dared to look up at Colette's questioning hazel eyes before glancing back down again, "It's me."

"You?" Colette asked incredulously before bursting into a hysterical fit of laughter.

Scorpius internally grimaced as she laughed, allowing his body to slowly slide down the wall until he sat on the floor, his head resting in his hands miserably.

"Oh God, you're serious," Colette stopped laughing and joined her best mate on the floor, her arm tentatively resting on his shoulder as she faced him head-on, trying to get him to look in her eyes.

"It was only meant to be a joke. An elaborate prank of sorts," Scorpius started, his voice subdued as he remained bent over, his knees pulled up against his chest protectively, "But then, things became complicated..."

"How so?" Colette squeezed Scorpius' shoulder warmly as if giving him permission to continue. Scorpius took a moment to rest his head back against the wall and look at her, his grey eyes abnormally full of turbulent emotion, before he spoke again.

"I... I keep cornering him or purposefully waiting until he's alone so I can berate him. It's worse than the years before. It's like I need to be around him. I can't explain it... When we're alone together and I start to mess with him, I just lose it." Scorpius groaned in annoyance before dropping his head again in defeat.

"Lose it how?"

Colette's pressing questions were starting to wane Scorpius' patience but he had expected them, so he answered, "We get physical..." He pointed to his cheek which was almost completely healed by now, "And we kissed once... well, twice actually. But I'm not sure if one participant being body-binded during the act counts..."

"Fuck," Scorpius flinched at the sound of Colette's gasp, feeling much like a small boy that had done something unspeakably horrible that would result in a punishment far worse than a time-out, "Scorp, how can you be so stupid? Did he... Did he kiss you back? When he wasn't body-binded, I mean."

"Yeah, he actually started it the first time... Hey! Why do you assume he was the one paralyzed?"

"Because you're a Slytherin and a Malfoy and you'll go to any ends to get what you want," Colette recited as if she had told him this hundreds of times in the past.

"I'll give you that," Scorpius agreed, looking up at his friend with a minor smirk of approval, secretly hoping the conversation was over but knowing better.

"But on a serious note," Colette's voice turned grave, "You're playing with fire, as cliche as that sounds. Whether he enjoys it or not, he comes with baggage. People baggage. Baggage full of people with red hair, freckles and a history for loathing Malfoys. They're like a bloody army of Malfoy-hating gingers. Not to mention being the son of Harry Potter baggage..."

"I get it," Scorpius cut in rudely before hiding his face in his arms once more, "Just kill me now. At least you'll have mercy."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Colette speculated, wanting to make her best friend squirm for keeping such a big secret from her, "How long has this been going on exactly?"

"Beginning of term," Scorpius grumbled, "There's something about him... he just looks different this year. I think that's it. I can't explain it really. Trust me, I wish I wasn't attracted to him."

"Well there goes my aesexual theory," Colette mused playfully, "Guess you're just Potter-sexual then."

"Not funny."

"I think it is," Colette grinned as she moved to sit next to her friend, her back pressed against the wall comfortably. When he didn't respond, she nudged him with her body gently, "Hey you. Stop moping. And on the dirty ground no less. What would our parents think of us?"

"We'd be disowned for sure," Scorpius mumbled as he raised his head, his blonde hair a mess from the constant rumpling from his anxious fingers, "Before my father kills me, of course. And then once more after my grandfather revives me, only to torture and kill me again for philandering with Harry Potter's son."

Colette nodded her head in amused agreement before resting it against his shoulder comfortably, "Lovely thought, my dramatic friend... So you really gave him all those gifts?"

"Well not all of them," Scorpius returned, his voice laced with jealousy, "That bracelet he received today wasn't from me, but Al seems to think it's from his Secret Admirer."

"Maybe he has more than one now," Colette offered, even if she knew it was bad to verbalize the suspicion, knowing all too well how possessive her best friend could be.

"Whoever they are, I'll hex them like I did Holmes."

"That was you?" Colette lifted her head and smacked his arm, her eyes disbelieving.

"Yes," Scorpius said without regret, rubbing his arm where she had hit him; he was getting hit a lot lately. If he were a sensible boy, he would get the hint, but alas being an overly confident and dense Malfoy wouldn't give him such luck.

"But why? Holmes is a pretty nice bloke. And he can actually carry a decent conversation when we're partnered for prefect rounds..."

"Don't want to get into it."

"So it has to do with Potter then?" Colette guessed off-handedly, "Well if it was an act of jealousy, I'm happy to inform you that he's had his eyes on Ravenclaw-Weasley since the beginning of last term I believe. It's pretty obvious, actually. We've even talked about it. He thought my flirting with her was serious and wanted to know if I planned on moving it further. Lucky for him, she's as straight as a rod."

"Weasley?" Scorpius drawled, unamused, "Well, you didn't see what I saw at Hogsmeade on Saturday..."

"Ah, so that's why you interrupted my date," Colette cut in with a grumble, relieved to finally have some answers to connect the pieces together of Scorpius' odd behavior recently.

Scorpius griped quietly in response before his attitude took a turn, his eyes almost too soft as he spoke his next words, "So what do I do?"

It took Colette a few moments to gather herself before she responded, surprised by her friend's strangely insecure behavior, "About Potter? Well do you actually like him? You know, like that?"

Scorpius nodded his head numbly, looking more dejected than before, "I think so... Yeah... Fuck my life..."

Zabini wasn't aware of how bad the situation had become and she was beginning to ask herself how she had overlooked this for the past month. You were also too occupied with fantasies of a certain American to be bothered with Scorpius' behavior.

"Well, I know you won't go for it, but why don't you try being nice to him?"

"Malfoys don't do nice," Scorpius quickly retorted, looking at her as if she asked him to eat a boogey-flavored bean.

"Well I never thought I'd go for a Gryffindor, but people change," Colette spoke easily with a shrug.

"Yeah, don't get me started on her," Scorpius warned before continuing, "Besides, I wouldn't even know how to start being nice to him. For the past five years I don't think I've ever had a civil conversation with him, let alone a nice one."

"Well, what about the ball?"

"What about the ball?" Scorpius looked puzzled before an annoyed look of understanding crossed his features, "You expect me to ask him to the ball? How absurd."

"Well not as yourself, of course," Colette added as if the thought were preposterous, "As the secret admirer. Maybe send him robes and a letter asking to be his date and then at the ball you can reveal yourself. And then-"

"And then what?" Scorpius questioned sharply, "And then he'll realize how much he wants to be with me despite my years of harassing and we'll live happily after ever together? I think you've been reading too many romance novels, Zabini."

"If you would let me finish," Colette interjected, clearly agitated, "I was going to suggest you start being nicer to him these next couple weeks leading up to the ball so that he doesn't think it's a complete joke. Granted, he might think it's a prank either way. But he might think otherwise if you're acting differently around him... or perhaps not."

"You know, you're internal dialogue over there isn't helping calm my nerves," Scorpius sighed as he started to stand up, brushing off his pants before reaching down to lend Colette a hand, "And sitting here plotting isn't going to really help if someone overhears us. Lunch should be done soon anyways."

Colette gave in and took Scorpius' hand, allowing him to help lift her to her feet, "We're not finished though. It seems I can't leave you alone anymore without you getting into deep shit."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm screwed. I get it."

"All I mean is that if you don't do something soon, someone who isn't afraid of the consequences will snatch up your precious Potter. It's not like he's terrible to look at. In fact, if I were straight, I'd probably go for h-"

"I know," Scorpius muttered as he attempted to fix the mess he made of his blonde locks, "Don't worry, I'll figure something out... without making matters worse," he added the second part once he caught the scolding look on Colette's face.

And yet, both Colette and Scorpius knew he was lying because he was a Slytherin and a Malfoy and he'd go to any ends to get what he wanted.

And unfortunately for the Slytherin, a certain redhead that had been spying on them knew better as well.

()

After lunch, Flair had given into her curiosity and headed straight for the library. Books were strewn across one of the larger tables carelessly and bright red hair was barely peeking from behind a messy pile of tomes, mostly on magical creatures.

Al and Rose entered the library with their normal look of splendid reverence, always finding the musty smell of aged paper and leather soothing. At the sight of a fiery head, the two bee-lined over to the covered table with matching smiles.

"What's this? A Gryffindor in the library without needing to be?" Rose teased as she plopped down next to her new friend, glancing curiously at the rather large textbook Flair seemed engrossed in. The page she was currently on had a detailed drawing and description on the same winged-horses they were studying earlier today.

"Ah, I see," Albus nodded his head as he sat across from the girls, "So do they really look like that?"

"Yea..." Flair trailed off as she fingered the picture, glancing up at her two Ravenclaw friends with a slightly sad smile, "They're truly exquisite. I wish you guys could see them, but then again I guess I don't." She chuckled awkwardly before looking down at the book again, sighing and shutting it roughly.

"I'm just surprised Malfoy can see them too," Albus mused, his fingers tapping is chin thoughtfully. He was actually relieved that both girls knew of his crush so that he didn't feel like he had to justify why he was talking about the insufferable git.

"Yeah, he said something about his Grandmother and a potion's accident," Flair confessed, not really caring if the Slytherin had wanted to keep it a secret or not; her loyalties lie with his mohawked best friend, not him.

"Really?" Rose raised an eyebrow, "Wait, I think I remember reading something about that in The Daily Prophet back in third year. I think it was on Scorpius' mum's side. Potions was a hobby for her and by reputation she was rather reckless. Oh, the life of a bored pureblood witch that's forced to be a housewife."

Al and Flair scoffed before chuckling softly, the Gryffindor finally commenting, "God, I have no intention of carrying out the white-picket fence tradition."

"White-picket fence?" Al and Rose chimed-in simultaneously.

"Yeah, haven't you heard that expression before?" When they shook their heads, she continued, "Suburbia-hell. White-picket fence, husband or wife, 2.5 kids... what every person is supposed to want in life. Or at least Muggle life. I think it's overrated."

"Ah, I get it. Well I don't know about all that, but a husband would be nice," Albus pondered dreamily before Rose snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Yeah and that husband better not be Malfoy," Rose quipped in warning, "You two wouldn't make it to the wedding without Dad killing him."

Albus nodded with a sigh, his uncle's reputation of having an irrational temper, especially when the mention of a Malfoy came up, never going unnoticed, "No need to worry. I'm sure he's betrothed already."

"Yeah, probably to Colette Zabini..." Rose stopped as she covered her mouth with her hands, looking at Flair apologetically.

"That makes no sense," Flair piped up, confusion etched on her face, "Colette's gay. And I"m pretty sure Malfoy isn't far behind..."

"It doesn't matter. Marriage isn't really about love when it comes to certain pureblood families. Just breeding," Albus informed.

"Well that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. We're in the 21st century for crying out loud. Being betrothed is something you read about in old Victorian novels, not act out in real life. Besides, I'd kidnap Colette before it ever came to that," Flair joked with a light-hearted chuckle, though there was some serious threat in her tone.

The two Ravenclaws laughed along with her, mostly because they were trying to imagine the expression on Colette's parents' faces when they found out about their daughter's less-than-desirable relationship with an American Muggleborn Gryffindor female. After the chuckles silenced, a rather awkward aura spread among the three until Flair reached for another book and opened it, searching the table of contents for Thestrals once more.

"Flair..." Al began hesistantly and when the girl looked up at him in question, he continued, "I hope I'm not prying, but why can you see them?"

There was another tense pause that caused the air around them to thicken before Flair spoke, feeling as if she was having a bad case of deja vu, "I have no idea."

Al and Rose shared confused looks before glancing back at the Gryffindor, expecting an explanation.

Flair, catching onto their probing eyes, spoke again, "I really don't. As far I remember, I've never seen anyone die. That's why I'm spending my Tuesday night here in this godforsaken place of quiet instead of cuddling with Colette." Flair moaned miserably as she placed her forehead on the open book; she only called the library a 'godforsaken place of quiet' when she was really frustrated, "I'm trying to figure out if maybe there's a different reason that I can see them."

"Maybe Hagrid knows," Rose finally piped up, feeling more comfortable discussing solutions to problems than allowing her imagination to register the meaning of Flair's words. Because if what Flair said was true, there was no reason that the American should be able to see them and that knowledge left an unsettling feeling in the smart girl's stomach, especially since she had prepped for their Care of Magical Creatures class last night and read all that she could on the invisible creatures (she was tipped off by Jeremy who had taken the class the year before) and in her studies it was very clear that the only way to see a Thestral was to witness a death and come to terms with the concept. By the sound of Flair's confession, however, she hadn't done either.

"Maybe," Flair admitted, slamming the book closed irritably before sighing.

"Hey..." Al chimed in, always wanting to make everyone feel at ease, "How about you come to the Ravenclaw common room with Rose and I to play some exploding snap and drink Butterbeers? I bought some bottles at the last Hogsmeade trip."

The American, always glad to leave the library, instantly smiled broadly and agreed, standing up in enthusiasm. Rose, on the otherhand, looked apologetic, "Sorry guys, I'm going to go visit Jeremy in the Hospital Wing, but I can catch up later."

"Sure thing," Albus grinned, happy to see that Rose might actually find romance this year. The thought made Al look down at his bracelet fondly before reaching his hand out for Flair to grab, "Looks like it's just you and me, m'lady."

()

Later that evening, after hours of chatting and playing exploding snap with Flair, Al felt nostalgic of the times he and his cousin, Louis Weasely, would stay up for hours and just talk. Deciding that a letter was in order, the young Ravenclaw whipped out some parchment and got to writing.

Dear Louis,

So much has already happened this term and it's only the beginning of October! I miss you so much. Don't get me wrong, I love Rosie and there's this cool new American girl that I'm becoming good friends with, but sometimes I need a break from all the estrogen, you know? I can't wait until we can hang out during the holidays. I'm excited to hear how you're interior design business is doing.

So there's something I really want to talk to you about, but I want to make sure your sisters don't read about it because you know how much of a gossip they can be and I don't need this spreading around the family. It's about Scorpius Malfoy, of all people. I know, I know, I'm sure you're already finding ways to reprimand me. I'm going to send you a detailed letter about it later when I have time so just be prepared.

Onto less ominous topics, we have a new Divination professor because Professor Patil-Corner is pregnant. Her name is Cassia Farlow. I think she went to school when you and your sisters did. She seems pretty nice so far, even if she was a Slytherin. She asked me to help her out with her class which I think is kinda weird considering it's one of my worst subjects, but maybe she sees something in me that I don't. I always felt like Professor Patil-Corner never liked me so maybe I'll do better with a teacher that does. Anyways, I was wondering if you or your sisters (or perhaps Teddy even) knew anything about her. You know, curious me. Maybe tell me something that can keep me on her good side. I'm not above brown-nosing if it means I do well in my N.E.W.T.S.

So how's Derrick? I hope you guys are still together. He actually seemed like a decent guy, but since the family adores him, I'm sure I won't see him around for the holidays. Just kidding! Kind of. I've decided that I think I know what our problem with men is. We just have a masochistic streak! The good ones bore us and the bad ones intrigue us despite confusing and abusing the hell out of us. I know, it's not the most comforting thought but you have to admit it makes sense. And yes, that idea has to do with Malfoy as well. Don't worry, you'll be caught up by the end of the week I promise. And I swear, Louis, if you show that letter to Dom or Toire I'll chop off your prized hair when you sleep over during Christmas.

On that note, love you!

Al

()

Wednesday came and left in a flurry of classes, homework and giggling girls awaiting their invitations to the Halloween Ball, aptly named The Ghoul's Gala. It wasn't until Thursday that things really started to get interesting.

Much to Cody's annoyance, Adrian had already been asked by five different girls from multiple houses, but he refrained from hexing any of them because Adrian had made sure to keep the tan boy occupied with his own invitation from the pale boy. And yet, when a rather bold Slytherin 7th year girl had asked Cody to the ball, a jealous Adrian once again received detention for hexing an unsuspecting student.

"I don't think they'll survive the year if they keep this up," Colette muttered in amusement as she watched her twin brother and his lover sitting rather close, shoulder-to-shoulder, Cody holding his "anonymous" invitation with such reverence one would think it was made of gold.

"I think you mean to say you don't think the female population will survive the year if they keep this up," Scorpius shot back with a smirk as he eyed his two friends. Colette laughed lightly at that, glad that Scorpius was starting to resemble the person he used to be in the beginning of September. Scorpius would never admit it, but he felt as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders when he confessed everything to his best mate. No more angsty nights of torment or secret feelings he knew were traitorous... well actually none of that changed. But at least he now had someone to vent to instead of his own confused mind.

"I just wish they would go public with it already," Colette's melodic voice broke Scorpius' thoughts, "Then at least the girls have a fair chance on deciding if they want to be hexed or not."

"So, how are you going to ask the American to the ball?" Scorpius changed the subject, still not willing to use the redhead's name, even if she was dating Colette.

"You mean Flair?" Zabini raised her eyebrow in amusement before continuing with an indulged smile, "Oh, I have plans. You'll just have to wait and see..."

And as if Colette's words were magic, a small flock of turtledoves (each with a red rose in their talons) swooped down toward the Gryffindor table and dropped said roses in Flair's lap before the last bird handed her a letter. As soon as the redhead opened the letter, however, it transformed into a moving picture of her and Colette's first kiss outside of Hog's Head with small red and green sparks of glitter escaping the piece of enchanted parchment.

Suddenly the invitation began to speak, Colette's voice filling the Great Hall as Flair's blush deepened, "Good morning, beautiful. The turtledoves represent the devotion I have for you and the red roses represent each day you've held my heart captive so far. I hope you accept my invitation to The Ghoul's Gala because quite frankly there's no one else I could imagine having on my arm, but you."

As Colette's voice disappeared, a wave of "awws" flooded the Great Hall from the female population and before Colette Zabini could comprehend what was happening, soft lips were pressed against hers fervently before a bustle of red hair fled back to the Gryffindor table.

"I think that means yes," Scorpius whispered in her ear as he watched Flair's retreating form, wanting to vomit from the cheesiness but at the same time happy for his friend, "But don't you think that was a little much? I mean, you've technically be seeing eachother since Saturday..."

"Scorpius, have you met my father? Sure he looks all collected and composed, but when he proposed to my mother, he all but bought out the Metric Opera House and it's players so they could perform her favorite play followed by a rather public display of flowers and magic that he had to get permits in advance for," Colette informed with a silly smile, still looking as stunned as she always did whenever her girl kissed her. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks as her table eyed her curiously. People had known about her blossoming relationship with the Gryffindor (since they had hardly made it private after that kiss outside the Great Hall on Tuesday), but no one had ever expected that type of romantic display from the normally tough mohawked Serpent and most of them weren't sure how they felt about this new development in Zabini's normally cool demeanor. And yet it didn't matter, because in Colette's opinion, she was taking the most interesting and sexiest girl to the ball. Slytherins and their judgements be damned.

()

"Okay, so I take it back," Rose started as the three of them began walking to Care of Magical Creatures, "Not all Slytherins are heartless gits."

"I know, right?" Flair practically squealed as she buried her face in her small bouquet of red roses, "Oh my God, what am I going to wear? Wait, what do you guys wear to these things? You're school is so much more formal than my old one. Do you allow costumes?"

"Yeah. They're actually trying to encourage the use of costumes this year instead of traditional dress robes because the Muggle Studies professor wants to begin integrating more muggle traditions in the school, much to the dismay of some pureblood families."

"Slytherins?" Flair guessed, finally beginning to understand the differences in houses at Hogwarts.

"Mostly," Rose cut in with a slight curl to her lip, "People just hate change in general though, I think."

The three continued talking as they headed out to the grounds until a rather large owl nose-dived toward Rose, stopping right before it crashed into her. Startled, Rose took the letter from it's impatient leg before the bird flew off as if it had better things to do. The Ravenclaw opened the letter curiously before a hidden smile crept onto her face.

"Who's it from?"

"Jeremy," Rose stated simpy as she looked up, unable to hide her smile anymore.

"Oh really," Albus asked curiously as he mirrored her smile, "And what does he have to say?"

"He wants me to meet him in the Astronomy Tower later," Rose spoke straightforwardly, "I think he has a question about one of the constellations we were talking about Tuesday night."

"Oh yes, I'm sure that's it," Albus chuckled lightly, more so when Rose's face scrunched in confusion.

"Well, what else would he want?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm sure you're right, Rosie," Albus waved it off lightly, "So I take it he's out of the Hospital Wing then?"

"Yeah, they released him yesterday. I stayed with him most of the night on Tuesday, helping him catch up with his classes."

"So that's why you never showed up," Flair mused innocently, though there was a knowing twinkle in her blue eyes.

"Okay, seriously, why are you guys looking at me like that?" Rose put her hands on her hips in annoyance.

"Looking at you how?" Albus inquired just as innocently before he looked at Flair and grinned.

"Yeah, Rose, how are we looking at you?"

"Like, like... Ugh, nevermind!" Rose flung her hands up in defeat before she continued walking to class in a huff, the two left behind laughing at her obvious naivety.

()

It was close to dinnertime, but Rose told Albus she would meet him in the Great Hall after she was done helping out Jeremy. Al had made some witty remark about how much she'd be helping Jeremy out, but Rose ignored it out of irritation. Once she arrived, she was confused to find no one there, knowing all too well how important punctuality was to the 7th year. What she did find though was a small wooden table with a letter on it addressed to her. Rose approached the small envelope cautiously before opening it:

Look up.

Rose did as instructed, a small gasp of surprise echoing in the tower. The entire ceiling, normally enchanted to resemble the night sky outside, was glittering with words:

"As this constellation represents

all is cold without you near,

so much I'll never be the same I fear.

So I ask with your consent,

will you go to this Halloween fling

and along with it bring me spring?"

Surrounding stars lit up the words rather brilliantly and as Rose looked closer, she realized that the poem was written around her favorite constellation, the same one Jeremy had asked about earlier that week. Libra, the constellation that represented the story of Hades and Persephone in Greek mythology as well as Rose's astrological sign.

"Jeremy?" Rose asked quietly as she dared to look around, wondering where he was, "Just so you know, I say yes."

As soon as she spoke those words, Jeremy appeared, apparently having been under a disillusionment charm the entire time, "Really?"

A sweet smile and nod lead Rose toward Jeremy as she hugged him softly, suddenly becoming aware of why Albus had said what he said earlier and instantly deciding to punish him later for it. "Yes, of course. I'd love to!"

Jeremy hugged her back, his heart beating a thousand beats a minute while he grinned like a fool, hoping this wasn't a dream.

()

The rest of the day had gone by rather smoothly, except for a couple random interruptions from romantic invitations to the dance. Needless to say, most of the professors weren't too thrilled about the outlandish displays this year but they allowed them to continue in the spirit of fun.

It wasn't until dinner, that things took a turn for the interesting at the Ravenclaw table. Rose had begun to describe Jeremy's sweet proposal to Al when they noticed a box wrapped in that familiar midnight-blue paper (the one that had become the bane of Albus' existence) along with a letter placed deliberately where the Ravenclaw usually sat. Al looked at it with interest, especially because it would be his second S.A. gift in one week which hadn't happened before. Rose also scanned the package curiously, forcing herself to not look at the Slytherin table where she knew a blonde head would be waiting expectantly.

Out of habit, Al handed the letter to Rose while he began to unwrap the rectangular box, revealing a set of rather exquisite black wizarding dress robes with emerald green (that were identical to Albus' eyes) and silver lining the collar and sleeves delicately. Al faintly touched the fabric, practically melting inside as the soft silk tickled his fingertips.

Dearest Albus,

I hope you will wear these to the Ghoul's Gala where I will be looking for you. I know that Muggle costumes are encouraged this year, but I think you'd looked stunning in this. If you wear these robes to the ball, I will reveal myself to you.

My Heart Is Yours,

Your Secret Admirer

"Well it looks like I don't have much of a choice do I?" Albus questioned Rose after she read the note, his excited face already marking his decision on the matter.

Rose nodded her head in agreement before she cast a discreet glance toward Malfoy, inwardly grinning at the peculiar hopeful look in his grey eyes before she continued with her dinner. She failed to notice, however, the smugly omniscient grin of one redhead named Lily Potter.

A/N: Well it's a slightly fluffy chapter but have no fear, drama and angst will resume as per usual. And as a head's up, if anyone thinks Scorpius was out of character during his confession, I just have to say that even the meanest and most asshole-ish of people have someone with whom they can be vulnerable with, such as a pet or teddy bear, or in this case a mohawked lesbian. =)

Next time on Jigsaw Love:

The ball is quickly approaching, along with a lot of unforeseen drama; Flair is sick again but doesn't want to talk about it; Scorpius has stopped bullying Albus, much to the masochistic Ravenclaw's displeasure; Lily is acting stranger than usual; Al receives a response from Louis.


	9. Trouble In Paradise

Scorpius was going crazy.

It was about 9 P.M. on a Monday night and as per usual Scorpius was doing his normal prefect curfew rounds. What was unusual, however, was the fact that he lay stunned on the hard ground of Classroom 11 with Albus Severus Potter looming furiously over his paralyzed form. As Scorpius remained motionless, his mind worked into overtime as he reminisced on the last few days, trying to figure out what had possessed the normally patient and peace-loving Ravenclaw Potter to act so rash and use a body-bind curse on him.

()

Two weeks earlier...

"I can't believe Potter and Finnegan are making us double up for patrols," Scorpius muttered to Colette as they calmly strolled through the fourth corridor, his regular Monday night patrol. They were accompanied by both sixth year Hufflepuff prefects, Annabelle Longbottom and Bert MacMillan, much to Scorpius' annoyance. Due to the attack on Jeremy Holmes week prior, James Potter and Blaire Finnegan enforced that for the next two weeks, prefects double up on patrol duty in case another attack occured, which meant that almost everyone would be working every night.

This knowledge didn't help Scorpius feel any happier considering he was the one who had cursed Holmes in the first place and had no intention of making a repeat attack after realizing the older Ravenclaw's intentions toward Albus were strictly platonic. But he decided he would play along and hoped that having the extra eyes would mean that the patrols would be done sooner so he could get some extra free time to himself.

As the four of them continued down the deserted corridor, the Slytherin began to contemplate how he was going to handle Potter. Ever since he had given the Ravenclaw those handsome dress robes on Thursday at dinner, Scorpius had decided to ignore Albus completely; it was just easier and less suspicious than being nice, in his opinion. Friday and the weekend seemed to go by without a hitch, but now that the school week had started up again, Scorp could tell that Albus knew something was up; he was in Ravenclaw after all. Monday seemed to go by smoothly and either Al didn't care or was too busy to notice Scorpius' continued lack of interest, which slightly irked the Slytherin but he would never admit it. Colette knew, however, but now was not the time to talk about with two other pairs of curious Hufflepuff ears nearby so Scorpius pondered his next move quietly.

Tuesday and Wednesday passed by without much action on either boy's side and Scorpius quietly thanked the fact that Quidditch practice was starting to take up his evenings and early mornings so he wouldn't be faced to deal with the growing confusion that seemed to settle itself on Albus' face. The Slytherin hated to see the lost puppy look on his Ravenclaw crush; it made him want to do warm and fuzzily sappy things to Potter that he was sure his Malfoy and Black ancestors would gladly rise from the dead and haunt him incessantly for.

When Thursday came, however, an angry crease had dug itself permanently onto Al's forehead between his eyebrows. Professor Elwes had decided the week prior that in order to promote inter-house comarderie, he would mix up the potion's partners for their N.E.W.T.S. prep. And as if the fates weren't already having enough fun with Scorpius, he wound up being partnered with Al. Last week during their Thursday afternoon class, Scorpius was estactic that his partner was Potter because he hadn't been able to tease or torment Albus in private since the brief moment with the bracelet that fateful Tuesday morning.

He took it upon himself for the three hours of their double potions class to tease his hand slowly at an achingly slow pace up Al's thigh as high as the Ravenclaw would allow him, which was rather far considering how stubborn Al had been feeling that day. Needless to say, their first class as partners had Professor Elwes rethinking his decision on pairing the two rivals together because he wasn't sure if he could handle an exploding cauldron everytime the sixth years met for class. But this week seemed to be going more smoothly, Professor Ralph Elwes noted, because the two boys seemed to be concentrating rather hard on their task at hand and the risk of something exploding seemed minimal. Albus, however, felt like exploding into a hundred sexually tense pieces an hour into the lesson.

Ever since the incident in Classroom 11 with the bracelet, Malfoy had been treating him differently, except for of course that delicious Potion's class last Thursday that had provided plenty of wank material for the Ravenclaw the following weekend. But besides that blissfully tense three hours of teasing, the Slytherin continued to treat him as if he were invisible and that the torrid charade they had been engaged in was simply a figment of Al's imagination. The Ravenclaw naturally blamed himself, thinking perhaps because he had walked away that Tuesday morning, irritated and showing no interest in Scorpius, that the blonde simply gave up and moved on. The only problem with that theory was that Albus knew the boy better; Malfoy never just gave up at the slightest hiccup (which that potion's class proved Al's suspicions to be true).

The Slytherin's blatant ignoring was nerve-wrecking though. Albus would have let one day slide, but this treatment had been going on since last Friday and now they were shoulder-to-shoulder and the Slytherin had every opportunity to continue what he had started the week before with his wandering hand. But he didn't. He simply kept his grey eyes down while he methodically chopped up the necessary amount of valerian root, almost looking bored as his hands remained visible and mischief-free, much to Al's annoyance. And yet in the back of Al's mind, he knew he should feel relieved that the blonde was leaving him alone but he just couldn't bring himself to be rational about it all.

Over the last weekend, instead of focusing on his schoolwork, Albus had spent most of his time vigorously studying the Marauder's Map, his green eyes following the "Scorpius Malfoy" icon religiously. James, deciding it was finally time to pass the torch, allowed Al to keep the map ever since the Flair incident and promised him the invisibility cloak after the Ghoul's Gala. Apparently he and Fred had something up his sleeve, but Albus was far too preoccupied with a certain blonde to care about such trivial things.

He hated how obssessive he had become with the mysterious blonde but he couldn't help it. He knew this thing with Malfoy wouldn't just fade away, at least not for him. He felt as though they had opened Pandora's Box and there was no going back to how things were before. Al just had to figure out what had changed Scorpius' mind or if this strange behavior was a part of an elaborate Slytherin scheme. Either way, the flip-flopping blonde was beginning to try Al's natural patience.

As soon as class had ended, Scorpius packed up his things and practically fled the room without a backwards glance at Potter. If only Al knew that behind Scorpius' bored expression there was an erractic heartbeat and the intense desire to continue what he had started the week before. Maybe then Albus wouldn't feel so insecure.

()

A week had passed from that horribly tense yet productive potions class and today's hadn't been any better. Potter hated to admit that they actually both worked rather well together when Scorpius wasn't busy trying to get Albus' cauldron to explode (no pun intended). However, when they were partnered in potions, Scorpius had managed to successfully ignore the Ravenclaw on a daily basis. And just Al's luck, he wasn't scheduled to patrol with the blonde Slytherin until next Monday evening so there was really no way for him to get the boy alone. Malfoy had seemed to always have someone by his side the last two weeks, usually one his Serpents or a Quidditch teammate. Granted the first Quidditch game of the season was coming up, so it only made sense that Scorpius was busy and preoccupied, and yet Potter couldn't get the sinking feeling out if his gut that something was seriously wrong. The fact that he hadn't received any more gifts from his S.A. had hardly irked him; his mind was solely focused on Scorpius' blantant avoidance.

Divination that Thursday afternoon was harder to concentrate in than normal. Today was tea-leaf reading and Albus could care less if his tea prognosticated him being married tomorrow or turned into a fluffy white rabbit for the rest of his days. His thoughts were once again transfixed on a certain blonde head across the room of tables, who seemed irritatingly interested in losing himself to the bottom of his tea cup. Flair seemed to notice as well.

"What's with Blondie today?" Flair quietly quipped while she impatiently waited for her tea to brew, tuning out Professor Farlow's melodic voice as she discussed the benefits and accuracy of such readings, "We've been in classes with him all day and he hasn't looked at you once. Usually he can't keep his eyes off of you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Al returned too quickly as a small blush annoyed his cheeks.

"I thought we were past playing dumb."

"I'm sorry," Al whispered, sighing deeply, "I just don't get it. I don't get him. One minute he's all over me like I'm the gold to his goblin and the next he's acting as if I don't exist. He doesn't seek me out anymore and I can't get him alone to see what's going on. It's been like this for almost two weeks now. It makes me feel like everything that happened in September was merely a fantasy I created. It's so infuriating..."

Albus threw his head rather dramatically into his arms on the table, almost knocking over his brewing teacup in the process. Flair sighed knowingly and gently patted his shoulder before ruffling up his hair, all too aware of Scorpius' odd behavior but also having an inside eye into the situation because of her girlfriend.

"Alright, so you've sulked and now it's time to take action."

"What do you mean?" Al peeked up curiously, his green eyes skeptical.

"I mean, take control," Flair spoke as if it were obvious, "I know you're not as meek as you make yourself out to be."

Al gave her a look of disbelief but she ignored it and continued, "I'm serious, Al. I've seen you in action once you're determined about something. It makes me look like a Hufflepuff."

Flair raised her eyebrows in amusement while she gave Albus a questioning look, seeking for his approval at her Hogwarts' house joke. "I think you're getting the hang of house stereotypes," he whispered and chuckled gently as he drained his tea and passed his cup to Flair while she mirrored his actions, "So how do you suggest I 'take action' as you so aptly put it?"

Flair took his cup carefully without looking into it before she spoke again, "I don't know. Why don't you body-bind him and take advantage... you know, like a karma's-a-bitch thing."

Al felt his cheeks burning again at the memory as his eyes unwillingly peeked at Scorpius, who seemed to be more engrossed in his teacup than before. The Ravenclaw sighed in annoyance before looking back at his redhead friend, giving her a reproachful look despite the glint of amusement in his eyes, "I regret ever telling you that story."

"I don't. It gave me plenty of ideas for good times with Colette," she wriggled her eyebrows playfully as Albus visably shuddered, "Oh, you gay boys and the mention of lesbian-loving. It's always amusing to watch the reactions."

Albus gave her an unamused glare before lifting Flair's teacup, mentally preparing himself to read the mumbo-jumbo the leaves dare to come up with, "What kinds of predictions do you reckon we're dealing with here?"

"Oh you know, the usual... death, destruction, social disgrace, unrequited love... DRAMA," Flair rolled her eyes playfully with a giggle but immediately stopped and straightened her back as Professor Farlow approached their table with a stern face but an entertained hint to her icy-blue eyes.

"Hopefully it won't come to that," Cassia Farlow spoke delicately, an airy tone to her voice, "But since you're so keen on the drama of tea-leaf reading, why don't you enlighten us with Potter's prediction?"

Yellow flashed through matching ice-blue eyes as Flair tried not to glare defiantly at the professor, feeling as though she was being mocked despite the pleasant tone to Cassia's voice. Flair hated to be put on the spot if it meant humiliation, especially in a class she found to be pointless. She was only taking it because the Headmistress said she needed the class in order to graduate since her American school never offered such a course. Luckily because of Albus' tutoring, she was able to take the more advanced course and not suffer the humiliation of being in the basic class with third and fourth years.

"Sure," Flair grumbled as the strawberry-blonde professor leaned over the Gryffindor's shoulder to inspect the leaves as well. Flair lifted the innocent-looking white teacup and peered inside before instantly dropping it back on the table, almost breaking it, at the sound of Professor Farlow's theatrical gasp.

"What did I do?" Flair raised both hands up as if proclaiming her innocence while she looked to her teacher, "What's wrong?"

"T-The grim," she whispered, almost inaudibly, something raw flashing through her normally gentle eyes, "I've never seen one in person before."

"Is it bad?" Albus wondered out loud, grabbing his teacup possessively and staring at the bottom where a dark picture of a spectral dog and a club formed from the dark leaves. He set the cup down and frantically turned the pages of his Unfogging The Future text, not liking how other textbooks were being opened and searched through loudly or how frightened whispers were beginning to spread throughout the classroom. On page six, there was an ominous sketch of the matching dog along with the words "The Grim". It seemed simple enough until Al caught the words "omen of death" which made him pale instantaneously. He then searched for the club which apparently represented "an attack". Unfortunately, this last piece of information only threatened to pale his skin more until it matched his starched white uniform shirt.

"Death?" Al whispered as he looked up at Professor Farlow for answers, "Surely, it's joking right?"

After a few moments of intensely awkward silence, Professor Farlow, as if awakening from a dream-like trance, cleared her throat to focus, clapped her hands together and put her usual sweet smile back into place, "Well, as stated before it's called the art of divination, not the science. No need to get all depressed and panicked over some leaves. I'm sure you must have done something wrong, Albus. The grim is not something seen often and I'm sure it was a mistake and you're free to start over again if you would like."

When no one looked convinced or relaxed, Cassia cleared her throat again, irritably this time, "Go on then. Continue with your readings. All of you."

She waved her hands off in annoyance, a gesture very unlike her normal bubbly self. The class continued in silence, a tense cloud of doubt remaining thick in the air. Professor Farlow wasn't fooling anybody with her nonchalant act toward Albus' leaves, especially because they all knew how much the older woman revered the "art" of divination, which only proved to make Al's prediction that much more unsettling.

"Al... Albus," Flair snapped her fingers in front of his dazed green eyes, "Hey, at least Blondie is noticing you again."

Clouded eyes turned sharp as Al followed the jerk of Flair's red head, which lead green to meet grey, the latter looking more confused and worried than Albus felt himself. Their eyes only mingled for a moment before Scorpius looked away again, much to the Ravenclaw's annoyance. He really was starting to dislike Divination. And tea (which was a crime for a British bloke like himself, but he couldn't bring himself to care). If only he knew the irony of the situation in which he found himself, for his own father had had that same prediction drawn up for him back in the bespectacled man's third year.

"Unfortunately he looks afraid, which was definitely not the expression I was going for," Al grumbled miserably as he put his face in his hands yet again.

"Just read my leaves," Flair interrupted suddenly, realizing that dwelling on Al's tea leaves or Malfoy were not advised at the moment.

Albus sighed a long defeated sigh before lifting her teacup and thoroughly studying the black smudges, "Oh look, you get a club too. It's upside down though. I don't know what that means. Apparently attacking is big this year though... And what's this? I can't tell if it's a balloon or a circle or a... but I think those are clouds... maybe? And there's a weird looking creature, like a-"

He was cut off abruptly as Flair grabbed her teacup back and stared into it with wide eyes before taking her index finger and dipping it into the cup, smudging the brewed tea leaves along with her prediction until it was indecipherable.

"W-What did you that for?"

"Oops?" Flair looked up suddenly with an faux-innocent look on her face.

"Seriously, what did it say?"

"Not entirely sure... something to do with the second coming?" She tried to joke casually but continued speaking once she realized Albus wasn't amused, "I don't believe in this stuff and neither should you, Al. The grim and clubs my ass... what do tea leaves know anyway?"

Al just continued to give her an annoyed yet curious look but decided not to press at the moment, feeling unusually drained. Maybe she's right. Maybe the leaves are merely objectional. And yet even as he tried to soothe his thoughts, he couldn't shake the treacherous feeling that had crept into his gut and decided to hibernate there.

()

Divination class ended more awkwardly than usual as whispered mutterings of odd predictions filled the staircase as the older students descended from the tower. Scorpius and Colette were the last to leave, not enjoying being huddled together like cattle with the rest of the students as they both tended to be on the claustrophobic side, (which was amusing considering they both lived in the dungeons under water yet found it relaxing).

"The sun? Really?" Colette started with an annoyed look, "Why do you get to have 'great happiness'? You're never happy."

"Hey!" Scorpius scoffed and pushed his friend lightly, making her stumble and glare back at him indignantly, "I have so been happy before."

"Yeah, when thinking about a certain Ravenclaw," Colette teased, moving out of the Slytherin's grasp as he threatened to push her again, "On a serious note though, I think he's aware of how different you're acting. Like really aware, in a bad way."

"What do you mean?" Scorpius furrowed his eyebrows together, the anxious expression making his usually handsome face look older and more like his father.

"I'm just saying that you kind of did a 180 on him and I don't think you're going to like the results," Colette shrugged as she started down the staircase, "I told you to try being nice to him, not ignore him and act like a mute in his presence."

"Well I don't know how to be nice to him," Scorpius retorted as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "Whenever I'm around him I just want to push him up against something or run away..."

"Ugh, you're hopeless my friend," Colette chuckled and shook her head, "Just don't be surprised if something happens that you don't like. Potter's a good person but he has his limits and if pushed too far, I'm sure he has no problem standing up for himself and what he wants."

Scorpius nodded his head in silent agreement, slightly afraid at the prospects of a confused, irritated and undeniably determined Albus Severus Potter.

The sound of clicking combat boots up the stairs made Colette suddenly grin as she opened her arms in preparation for her girlfriend, a burst of red hair suddenly colliding with her waiting body.

"Hi love," the Slytherin whispered against Flair's neck before placing a chaste peck there, ignoring Scorpius' huff of impatience as he remained stuck behind them.

"Hey you," Flair whispered back, before looking up at Scorpius over Colette's shoulder, "Go around, Blondie. Colette and I have about thirty minutes before you're going to drag her away to Quidditch practice and I want to make every moment count."

Flair's words made Colette shiver delectably and Scorpius' face to contort into a look of pure, scandalized horror. He undelicately shoved them aside and moved past quickly. "Right. See you in thirty, Zabini. And don't be late."

Colette merely winked at her best friend, which made Scorpius turn on his heel abruptly and practically dash down the stairs as if a simple wink would turn him into a lesbian.

"What is it with gay boys and lesbian-loving?" The mohawked-Slytherin wondered aloud before her lips were captured in a passionate kiss, Flair once again realizing just how right this girl was for her.

"That's exactly what I was saying earlier to Al," she finally gasped out as she pulled back, her pale cheeks flushed. Flair dragged her thumb along Colette's lower lip slowly before leaning in and taking it in her mouth, sucking on the soft flesh teasingly. Colette couldn't help the moan that escaped her, which seemed to propel something animalistic in Flair as she pushed the taller girl roughly against the railing and wrapped a leg around her waist possessively, trying to dominate.

Colette, however, had other ideas as her hands quickly slid down and grasped Flair's ass, picking her up and wrapping the smaller girl's legs around her waist before carrying the Gryffindor's body to rest on the ledge and against the closed window, pinning the redhead effectively.

"Not fair," Flair playfully whined against Colette's lips before she gasped and threw her head back against the glass, the dark-skinned girl pressing urgent kisses down her pale throat, stopping at the sensitive spot where neck meets shoulder and biting down roughly.

"Slytherin," was Colette's smart-ass reply before she continued to suck, rather enjoying marking her girlfriend.

"Fuck," Flair whispered as her legs tightened around Colette's waist, almost painfully, but the Slytherin didn't mind. The redhead grabbed the back of her girl's head and forced her to look at her face before whispering in a dangerous tone, her eyes glittering yellow for a moment, "Time to make it fair."

Flair bit down on Colette's neck rather territorially, forcing the darker girl to place her hands on either side of the window to brace herself as her body throbbed in painful need. Something about Flair seemed different today, like she didn't just want to be rough but she needed to be. As if it was out of her control. Usually Flair was the more slowly-tease-until-you-beg kinda girl, which Colette loved but would never admit to her girlfriend because the Gryffindor already had so much power over her it was ridiculous. This desperately-hungry Flair was new, but Colette found she definitely wasn't complaining as she moaned loudly once more.

"Ahem."

"Shit," Colette muttered breathlessly as a third-party's voice broke through the heated gasps and groans of delight. Both girls pulled back and looked up at the top of the winding staircase, flushed faces and lusty eyes meeting one very pale and unamused-looking Divination professor.

"Ladies, do I need to remind you of Hogwarts' policy on this type of behavior?" Professor Farlow spoke in an oddly stiff tone, her hands on her hips.

Colette tried to pull away from Flair, but the redhead's legs tightened, her blue eyes looking up harshly at Cassia, "If you don't like it, you don't have to watch."

The Slytherin turned to look at her girlfriend, her mouth gaping open at the girl's audacity and loving every minute of it, though she would never say so in front of the teacher.

"20 points from Slytherin and Gryffindor each for indecent behavior and Ellison, you have detention with me this Saturday for talking back to a professor." A satisfied smirk that revealed Cassia's true Slytherin nature tainted her delicate face before she walked down the stairs and past the still entwined couple, "And I suggest you two separate now or else I'll be forced to hex both of you with something nasty that will occur every time you touch each other... and it'll last until the ball, I assure you."

The thought of not being able to touch her fiery redhead for a week made Colette swiftly reach back and unwrap her girlfriend's legs from around her waist, ignoring the huff of indignation and death glare she was receiving from said fiery redhead.

"Thought that'd do the trick," Cassia called back without looking as her strawberry-blonde head disappeared into the corridor.

"Can she even do that? Hex students?" Flair asked in annoyed incredulity, moving back into Colette's arms and trying to kiss her once more.

"I don't think so, but she was a Slytherin... she could find a way without it being pinned back to her, I'm sure." As Flair pressed herself up against Colette again, it took everything in the Slytherin's willpower to not succumb to the girl's advances, "Baby, stop... I don't want to deal with being hexed."

"You can't be serious? She was just joking I'm sure..." Flair murmured as she playfully bit Colette's shoulder, making an irritated sound when the taller girl moved away again.

"Come on, seriously. I need to get going anyway," Colette grabbed Flair's hand and started to finish heading down the stairs, but stopped when she realized the Gryffindor wasn't following, "Flair?"

"Can't you skip practice just this once? Spend time with me..." Flair pouted and she walked down the steps until they were face-to-face, her hands reaching up to clutch Colette's school robes possessively as she leaned into her girlfriend's ear to whisper, "I can do things to you that your broomstick can't..."

Colette immediately blushed and chuckled nervously as she pulled away from the Gryffindor, hating how unsmooth she felt around the seductive minx, "Babe, really. I need to go. Scorpius will kill me if I don't show. Our first game is in two weeks. We can hang out tonight though, yeah?"

Anger flashed through Flair's eyes for a moment before she started walking down the stairs again, her mood suddenly shifted to clipped and impersonal, "I have things to do tonight. Sorry."

Colette exhaled desperately as she followed the red hair, "Flair, don't be like this..."

"Don't be like what?"

The girl turned on the Slytherin, her red hair covering one eye while the other peered at her darkly. Colette was taken aback by the look, never having seen it directed at her before. Colette swallowed nervously but stood her ground as she spoke, "Like this. All annoyed and stuff. It's not really in my control... it's Quidditch practice. I can't slack off. We're a team and we need to win this year."

"Oh, don't get me started on control," Flair suddenly muttered, more to herself than anything as she shook her head and turned to start walking again, "It's fine. I'll see you when I see you."

Colette rolled her eyes in bemusement at Flair's odd drama-queen attitude, but followed her anyways, her tone suddenly irritated and impatient, "Look, I don't know what your deal is right now. If it's that time of the month or something-"

The sound of slapped flesh echoed down the corridor, followed by swift and angry combat boots. Colette merely stood stunned in place with a tiny handprint slowly manifesting itself onto her tan cheek.

()

Breakfast the next day yet again held far too many revelations for Albus' liking. In his opinion, it was way too early in the morning for so much to occur but apparently the universe had disagreed since things always just seemed to happen at the wee hours of the sun's arrival. Lily had decided to ditch her boy-toys for the morning, opting to sit with her big brother and Rose with some delicious gossip just waiting to spill from her traitorous lips.

"Have you guys seen Flair yet?"

Any conversation that had begun with that sentence could only turn out badly, Albus thought as he glanced at his little sister, green eyes wary, "No... why?"

"Well according to her dorm mate, Georgina Randell, who you know is my friend as well, said that Flair didn't come to her room after curfew and finally showed up this morning looking haggard and with a long scratch across her cheek," Lily paused for dramatic effect, but when Albus and Rose continued to look at her dumbfounded, she huffed in annoyance and continued, "Well? Do you think maybe Zabini is abusing her? Or maybe they just like it rough..."

"Lily!" Rose finally spoke up, her eyes flamed in indignation, "Have some manners."

"Yeah, I would actually like to digest my breakfast," Albus trailed off with a scrunched-up nose, trying to get images of the lesbians and rough sex out of his mind. Unfortunately, Al couldn't control his questing gaze as it turned to look two tables down where Colette Zabini and the rest of The Serpents sat, minus a certain blonde prat. "Well, Zabini seems to be looking all right."

And she did. A little depressed maybe, but not haggard or like she had stayed up all night having the best shag of her life. Once again, Al winced at the images. Luckily, Lily brought him back to reality with her curious tone, "I guess she does. Well there goes that theory. It is odd though isn't it? I wonder who or what scratched her face then. Georgina said it looked bloody awful."

Rose and Al nodded their heads in agreement that it did sound strange and both Ravenclaws couldn't help but remember that not too long ago, Flair had gone missing for a night once before.

"Americans are strange," Lily announced to break the tension, biting into a piece of bacon resolutely as if the statement explained the mystery that was Flair. Suddenly, the young Gryffindor's eyes became far too mischievous for Albus' liking and he couldn't help but follow her gaze toward the entry of the Great Hall, immediately blanching when Scorpius Malfoy entered. Oh bloody hell, does my sister have a thing for Malfoy? I don't stand a chance against her charms... Albus mused morosely before putting his face in his hands, ignoring Rose's comforting pat on his shoulders, since she had also followed both Potters' trail of focus. Rose, however, had merely thought Albus' reaction was due to his confusion as of late. If she was trained in Legilimency, she would have slapped him across the head for thinking that Lily was remotely interested in the Serpent leader.

"Albus," Lily started in a sing-song tone and the Ravenclaw couldn't help but begin planning his own demise, figuring he was having a hard enough time trying to get Scorpius' attention without having to compete with his charming little sister for it. "What do you think of blondes?"

Albus keep his face in his hands while he uttered an unintelligible sound of confusion.

"What was that?" Lily quipped curiously as her brown eyes remained playful, "I think I'm developing a stronger liking for them. So much I might finally choose between Henri and Thomas..."

Lily's last sentence made Al even more confused as he raised his face and quirked an eyebrow, thinking maybe he was wrong to think his little sister had an inkling for the blonde Slytherin. Luckily, Rose cut in so he wouldn't have to release anymore unintelligible sounds of ignorance.

"So Thomas it is then?" Rose smiled in amusement before getting a dreamy look in her eyes, "I admit I have a thing for blondes too..."

"Since when?" Lily turned her eyes to her cousin, her expression revealing how much she hated being out of the loop.

"Since a certain Ravenclaw 7th year asked her to the gala," Albus offered with a cheeky grin as he elbowed Rose gently in the ribs, glad for the subject of conversation to be directed away from blondes named Scorpius Malfoy. After allowing Lily a moment to squeal in delight and claiming that she had lost all hope for dear Rosie, which made the latter scowl rather unattractively, Albus continued to explain the story of Rose and Jeremy leading up to how he had asked her to the dance.

"Oh, how utterly romantic! It's not fair really... why is it Ravenclaws get all the romance?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh nothing, big brother. I'm just thinking out loud. So, you never answered my question. Blondes... yay or nay?"

Albus took a rather large gulp of his orange juice and swallowed with much difficulty before averting his eyes once more to Scorpius, who was acting as if Albus wasn't directly across from his range of sight, "I suppose I have a weakness for them. But I'm not so sure if that should be a 'yay'."

"I see..."

"You know, I don't trust that tone, Lils," Albus warned, immediately looking back at his troublesome little firecracker of a sister, "That tone lead to me being grounded last summer, because you thought it would be a good idea to sneak into a Muggle bar in order to flirt with that cute bartender from Australia."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the redhead stuffed another piece of bacon in her mouth as she shrugged her shoulders casually, remembering all too well how her older brother had taken the blame for her curiously wild antics. It was all her Uncle George's fault really. He had given her one of his new inventions, a Father-Time Toddy, to try out and she couldn't help that it made her look like a mature cougar that belonged in every straight boy's fantasies. It also wasn't her fault that she wanted to test out her new age on the extremely attractive new bartender that worked at the bar two blocks from 12 Grimmauld Place. It also wasn't her fault that her darling older brother was a Mother Hen at heart and followed her, taking the blame and telling their parents that he was the one that snuck into the bar to flirt with the bartender and Lily had merely followed to bring him back home safely. Because of course by then the toddy had worn off so Harry and Ginny Potter were none the wiser. Nope, not Lily's fault at all.

The young Potter's eyes glanced at Scorpius again for a moment before she continued in that same calculating voice, "I wonder what color hair your secret admirer has..."

Albus was going to question more about his sister's odd behavior and the strange question relating to his S.A. but the sight of Thomas Handler caused the young girl to leap up energetically and walk over to the boy, planting a possessive kiss right then and there for everyone to witness while they ate their eggs and meat products.

Well at least that defeats my worries of her and Scorpius...

()

Flair hadn't been to any of her morning classes and it wasn't until lunch that she had made an appearance, looking tired, pale and famished. But before anyone could question her and the obviously fresh mark on her face, she had made it quite clear she wasn't discussing anything with anyone until she felt damn ready to and the Gryffindor gleam of determination in her eyes had people backing off like moths to a burnt-out light.

Al and Flair walked silently to their next class, the tension awkward but somewhat comfortable, each lost to their own thoughts. It wasn't until Albus found himself flat on his back with a hard, warm body pressed to him that reality seemed to finally rear it's ugly head.

"Fuck, watch where you're going, Potter," a distinctively familiar husky voice breathed against Albus' neck, leaving chills on his skin despite the warmth of Malfoy's breath.

Merlin, it's been far too long, Albus couldn't help but think as he lay on the ground, mentally taking in as much of Malfoy's warmth and scent as he could to file away in his memory for later.

The tall Slytherin propped himself up on his hands as his hovered over the Ravenclaw, his grey eyes like liquid silver, heated and bubbling with sexual tension that Albus hadn't seen in forever. The dark-haired boy could practically taste the peppermint that he was beginning to associate with Scorpius as the blond sucked on yet another candy, licking his lips slowly in a way Al knew to be a teasing manner. Albus could have sworn those lips were coming closer to his own and he found himself tipping his chin up to close the distance. He wanted to allow his eyes to flutter closed for a moment and enjoy the kiss that was bound to come, but he refused to break eye contact; he had been waiting to see that passionate look in Scorpius' eyes return for far too long.

It wasn't until someone cleared their throat from above that those pools of silver instantly hardened into metal spears, stabbing Albus in the gut as the warmth and hardness suddenly retreated from his body, drenching him in the reality of the cold air and nothingness around him. The faint sound of "Shit" being growled out by the blonde soon drowned into fleeting steps and as Potter lifted himself up on his elbows, he couldn't help but watch as Scorpius Malfoy and Rodney Goyle retreated, their black robes billowing behind them elegantly even though Malfoy's blonde hair looked extremely mussed... as if he had just ran his hands through it in agitation.

Flair's amused voice finally cut through Albus' trance, a slap in the figurative face of his love life.

"Well, I guess that means he's still into you."

()

Al was sitting alone in his room, contemplating the day's earlier events regarding a certain lusty grey gaze that contrasted greatly with the owner's oddly stiff behavior during the past two weeks. He couldn't help but wonder what Scorpius was playing at. Everything Malfoy had done had made Albus feel as if he was over whatever they had been doing, but the unmistakeable look of longing in the Slytherin's eyes earlier that day expelled any insecurities Al had been having. He was certain Malfoy meant to kiss him until Flair once again ruined the moment, reminding Albus all too well of the day he first met her and how she had 'saved' him from the big bad blonde wolf. The sound of insistent tapping on his bedside windowpane brought Al out of his contemplation, smiling widely as he caught sight of Louis' white owl.

"Louis! Finally!" Al cheered as he opened the window, giving the small ball of white feathers a loving peak on the head and a treat he kept in his table drawer before retrieving the letter excitedly and opening it, almost ripping it in half in the process.

Dear Al,

Don't get me started on estrogen. I need my own place A.S.A.P.! Mum has been more smothering than usual, and Dom and Toire have opted to stay here at Shell Cottage longer to help with the renovations. Ever since my business took off, mum has decided her house gets to be the guinea pig, which translates into me doing everything for free. She says it's my duty for her having to put up with me for 18 years.

So yes, I'm definitely counting down the days until holiday break so we can escape the family for a little bit. Derrick offered up his timeshare in the Bahamas if you're game. I'm sure the family wouldn't miss us for a couple days. And yes, that answers your question about him and I still being together. I don't know how he puts up with my dramatic antics but he certainly isn't the meek and sweet doll everyone thinks he is. He's put me in my place a time or two, but of course you know that only keeps me interested.

Wow, Patil-Corner finally pregnant eh? I never thought it would happen but congrats to her. I'll have to send her a card. So I talked to Teddy about Cassia Farlow since I only remember her vaguely. She was Head Girl when I was a first year. Teddy practically swooned at the name, his hair turning a shade of ungodly red only a Gryffindor would appreciate, which of course made Victoire slap him soundly and exit the room in a huff. It was brilliant. I wish you were to see it. Poor Teds. I wouldn't wish my dear sister's wrath on anyone.

Teddy said he and Cassia were in the same year and he was Head Boy with her. He also was apparently madly in love with her for forever, but she consistently turned him down. It wasn't until she told him she was betrothed to someone else that he finally gave up his pursuit, just in time to notice that Toire had been in love with him all along. He only had the nicest things to say about her, and to give her daffodils or any sour candy if you want to get on her good side.

Victoire said she was a manipulative bitch and far too nice to be in Slytherin, but I'm not sure if my sister's opinion holds any merit considering the circumstances. In my opinion, she should be thanking the Slytherin. Otherwise, Teddy would have never noticed her as other than family. Don't tell her I said that though... I do value my life. Well, I hope that helps. From what I remember, Farlow was nice enough and always willing to assist those who needed it... unless they brought up her father. He was a Deatheater and tended to be a sore subject for her from what I recall. Teddy said her grandmother raised her because her father died in the war and she never knew her mother. Personally, besides her being extremely beautiful and talented, I think Teddy felt so strongly for her because of her past. You know how sensitive he is about his parents, too. Anyways, I hope that helps a little.

And Malfoy? You're lucky I read this letter alone outside or else my screech of indignation would have alerted my sisters to their nosey ways. I am impatiently waiting for your next letter explaining what in the world could be going on in your diluted brain. I know you've always had an odd fascination with him, but really? If you don't reply by the end of this week, I'm visiting to make sure you haven't been Imperiused or mislead with a potion.

Love,

Louis

P.S. Touch my hair and die.

Albus couldn't help but chuckle at the least line, knowing all too well Louis' wrath when his hair was threatened. He read the letter over twice, mulling over the new information before deciding to follow-up with his letter about Scorpius, hoping his cousin could give him some outward insight.

()

Scorpius wished he could close his eyes as he remained motionless, hating the look of intense anger and confusion swirling in Al's green eyes, reflected rather menacingly by the light illuminating from his wand.

This can't be good. Scorpius couldn't help but think as he remained vulnerable to the dark-haired Ravenclaw. Thinking about how he ended up here, the Slytherin mentally berated himself with how clueless he had been to think that Albus would take this being ignored-thing lying down and passive. Oh had he been wrong. Albus had managed to once again show why he could have been sorted into Slytherin if he had chosen it.

It had been Scorpius and Colette's normal Monday night patrol, but unlike the last two weeks before, the Hufflepuff team had been replaced by the Ravenclaw team, namely Rose Weasley and Albus Potter. The blonde had internally groaned once he found out, especially because it was the last double patrol since it seemed no one was being attacked anymore (no duh, Malfoy couldn't help but think) so it wasn't like he could feign sickness. Besides, James Potter had just met with him earlier to discuss conflicting prefect and Quidditch practice schedules so he couldn't get out of patroling tonight unless he wanted to risk his position of power. That looming over his head, Scorpius decided to suck it up and remain stubbornly attached to Colette's side, only answering the Ravenclaw pair in nods and unintelligible grunts. Scorpius felt like an idiot and hated every minute of it, but he pressed on tenaciously.

As the night drew on, however, Al apparently had other plans because somehow he managed to maneuver himself in between the two Slytherins and dared to suggest they split up to make quicker time (since Jeremy's attack had indeed only seemed to be a one-time offense and Albus thought it silly to waste their entire night patrolling a rather innocent corridor). And of course, Colette (being the traitor that she was), agreed whole-heartedly despite Scorpius' pleading eyes and had even offered to pair up with Weasley, claiming she had girlfriend troubles and wanted to get another's perspective on it since Scorpius was rubbish at giving advice.

Mohwaked little harlot... Scorpius had thought as he watched his supposed best friend and Ravenclaw-Weasley depart, leaving him alone with a seemingly-innocent Potter. It had all happened so fast that the Slytherin had barely registered he was alone with the sixth year until the girl's hushed chatter died from the hall, leaving behind a pregnant silence.

Potter's eyes, however, gave nothing away as he started to walk in the opposite direction, keeping quiet and making the blonde feel as comfortable as he could while he followed the Ravenclaw without question. The fact that the Slytherin had been so caught up in realizing that Potter was no longer wearing the bracelet that had caused their fight almost three weeks ago wasn't helping him remain focused either. Oh, but how he should have known something was up. Especially when he found himself on the first floor where they didn't belong and practically thrust into Classroom 11. It wasn't until he was flat on his back in the dim classroom that Malfoy realized how much of an idiotically blind Gryffindor he had been acting like.

Albus effectively tucked his wand back into his prefect's robes before he leant down toward Scorpius, grinning wickedly as he moved to straddle the paralyzed body, resting his ass most deliciously on top of the Slytherin's crotch while his hands remained still on his own thighs.

"You have been a terrible, terrible person you know..." Albus started, keeping his hips still as he stared down into Scorpius' eyes, his smile not quite reaching his own green depths, "Stringing me along like a puppet and then tossing me aside like an old toy. Not nice really..."

He drawled the last sentence as he slowly circled his hips, his emerald eyes turning dangerously playful but determined. Oh, how Albus enjoyed being the one in control for once. A smirk crossed his lips that would rival Malfoy's as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on either side of Scorpius' head so their noses were touching ever so innocently, nestling his body comfortably on top of the Slytherin's.

"I would have believed it, you know," he whispered, "I was really confused and I'll admit hurt, but I would have believed you were over whatever we were doing. However," he paused, rocking his hips back against Malfoy's crotch again, relishing in the heat that had been accumulating there and imagining that Scorpius would be hardening if not for the stunning spell, "the look I saw in your eyes on Friday made me realize that for some reason you're ignoring me on purpose and that you want this as much as I do. I just wish I knew why..."

Albus, unable to take the temptation any longer, pressed his lips against Scorpius', desperately wishing they would respond but not trusting the Slytherin enough to unbind him. The kiss was slow and long but Albus pulled away with Scorpius' lower lip between his teeth, sucking on it gently before letting it go with a pop. A devilish look crossed Al's green eyes before his dipped his head and latched onto the pale neck before him, biting and sucking with no other intention than to mar and claim Scorpius' skin as his own property.

If Scorpius thought he couldn't take anymore and that his own heart would more than likely explode inside his chest, he was wrong. No this, this was the balance of Heaven and Hell surely. Inside he was hot, too hot for words and yet his body felt frigid and solid as ice. His blood seemed to rush through him like a rapid river, pooling around his groin and making it throb mercilessly even though his cock couldn't physically harden; it was almost painful but in such a good and perfect way. And with Al sucking and grinding down against him, he was sure he could come right there if he was able.

And yet he was furious. Furious because he wasn't in control and furious because he couldn't actual touch Albus... hold his hips in place so they would rub down against him in just the right spot so he could feel some sense of relief. No, this was indeed the hellish part. And it seemed Albus knew it as well.

The mix of marking Scorpius and grinding against him had gotten Albus quite hard and he knew the blonde would be able to feel it. "God I want to come so badly," Albus broke away from his neck and whispered hoarsely in Scorpius' ear, making another jolt spark throughout the Slytherin's stiff form. Suddenly an idea crossed Albus' head and feeling rather reckless, he continued speaking, almost timidly, "What would you think if I went through with it? If I came right here on top of you in this classroom. No one would know. It would be our own little secret..."

He has a point, the Slytherin mused in his clouded head, the thought of a writhing Albus Potter on top of his solid body making him want to scream the countercurse to the boy's spell so he could take control and just show Albus Potter what coming with him would really be like. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but laugh at the irony of Classroom 11 being their own secret hideaway place; it would only make since for whatever they were doing to happen here as it seemed to house the rest of their secrets.

"I think I'll go through with it," Albus panted softly but with intense determination as he lifted his head, daring to glance into grey eyes that matched the fire emitting from his own. Apparently, that was all the encouragement Albus needed because the next thing Scorpius was aware of was the sound of rustled clothes and a zipper being pulled down, followed by a moan that most certainly did not escape from his own paralyzed lips.

Oh hell, he's actually going through with it. I've driven Albus Severus Potter to lose his mind. Truly...

Albus moved his lips back to Scorpius' ear, his words a mix of heavy breaths and moans, "I want you to never forget the feel of me on top of you or the sounds I make when I'm coming, because you're the one making me come undone."

Trust me, darling. There was never a chance of that before and there most certainly won't be one now. Scorpius couldn't help but think in response, completely in awe with how kinky and turned on he was with this newly unhinged Potter. Albus left one more biting mark on the pale neck before lifting himself up to straddle Scorp once again, swiftly removing his prefect's robe and bundling it up before placing it like a pillow under the blonde's head, forcing his face to tilt forward so he could see Albus clearly.

"I want you to see me when I come," Albus moaned out as he rocked back down against Scorpius' groin, his hand pumping furiously in his trousers as he stared determinedly at Scorpius, whispering dirty things that an innocent Ravenclaw-Potter shouldn't know how to say. It would forever be etched in Scorpius' fantasies. He didn't realize how long he had been holding himself back from the dark-haired boy and now with said boy on top of him in such a tempting display, Scorpius wondered why he had insisted on ignoring Al in the first place. The Slytherin hated how much he was enjoying this, how much he wanted Al to come for him, on him. Wanted to feel it on his own flesh. Albus, as if reading his mind, suddenly lifted up Scorpius' shirt to reveal his pale toned stomach while his hand tugged harder, finally releasing his cock from his pants for Scorpius to ogle at.

And oh what a glorious cock it is, Scorpius thought as he mentally groaned, wishing he could find some release because this was becoming agonizingly difficult to deal with. To the point where desire was turning into madness. And that's when it happened. Hot liquid spurted from Albus' glorious cock onto the blonde's frozen stomach, the dark-haired boy's head thrown back in ecstacy as he finished riding out his orgasm, Scorpius' name on his lips. Not Malfoy. Scorpius. The Slytherin thought he might die from a heart attack since his blood had no where else to go while another rush of heat and unexplained feelings filled the artery, both literally and figuratively.

Albus' breathing began to slow while he zipped his pants back up, his chest rising and falling rather roughly. He debated on cleaning off Scorpius' stomach but thought better of it. "A present for you," he rasped out with a lopsided grin, his voice hoarse from his previous cries of pleasure. Luckily, he had thought to put a silencing charm on the room previously or else someone would have been bound to find them. The Ravenclaw slowly stood up on wobbly legs, still smiling down at the Slytherin, out of post-euphoric haze or calculating truimph Scorpius couldn't tell, but thought it didn't matter because Albus Severus Potter was the most gorgeous creature he had ever laid eyes upon. The Ravenclaw had ruined him forever.

"Don't ignore me anymore, okay?" Albus spoke again, sounding more like his normal timid self, as if the Albus moments before was merely a hallucination of Malfoy's sordid imagination. With one last look at the rumpled disaster that was Malfoy's form, Al smirked in satisfaction and left Classroom 11. Minutes seemed like hours and for a brief moment Scorpius began to panic, thinking Albus wouldn't release his body-binding spell, but finally he felt his body tingle back to life. He never had a chance to breath a sense of relief, however, as everything swirling inside him seemed to suddenly rush to his prick with a maddening throb.

It all happened so swiftly and before Malfoy realized what was occuring, he was bucking his hips furiously into the air and coming hard in his pants with a loud surprised moan, not even having a chance to touch himself.

Fuck Potter. I'm ruined for sure.

Next time on JigSaw Love:

The Ghoul's Gala is finally here! Scorpius has something that belongs to Potter from their little stint in Classroom 11 and debates on returning it. Will blackmail ensue? What possessed Albus to act in such a very un-Albusy manner? Will Scorpius reveal himself as the S.A. at the ball? Will Flair and Colette make up or was their relationship as short-lived as Lily's idea to wear a romper? What have our gay boys Cody and Adrian been up to recently? Will Rodney ever be more than a quiet and lonely drunk? Did Lily actually choose Thomas or is there another blonde that has caught her eye? What happens when our girls decide to once again meddle in gay-boy's love lives? And what's all this nonsense of Teddy mooning over Cassia Farlow? And does she have a secret she isn't telling anyone? And who the hell scratched Flair that has the redhead not wanting to talk about it? All this and more next chapter!

Reviewing is the most love a reader can give a writer. =)


	10. The Ghoul's Gala Part 1

The next day at potions had once again forced Professor Elwes to reevaluate his decision on pairing the two boys together. Everything started out relatively normal: lecture, instructions, and then the partnering up to recreate the daily potion. Malfoy and Potter apparently had other ideas. Ideas that consisted of unruly purple liquid to splatter itself along the walls and a rank smoke to emit from the offending cauldron in front of the two sixteen year old boys.

Albus had every intention of focusing in class today. Truly he did. Even when the blonde entered the dungeon with his oh-so-familiar smirk of superiority and his knowing grey eyes fell upon him, which of course sent a wave of memories from the night before straight to Al's crotch. Even then, he was determined to stay focused. What he wasn't prepared for, however, was the tenacity the Slytherin seemed to possess to cause Al to lose what he was trying so desperately to hold onto: his sanity.

Settling into their respective partner positions for potions, Scorpius began sorting and chopping up the necessary ingredients while Al grabbed them and deposited them into the cauldron, stirring when the recipe called for it. Ten minutes into the task, however, the Ravenclaw felt a familiar hand rest on his right thigh, it's thumb tracing small circles over Al's trousers.

"Stop that," Albus hissed under his breath as he stirred, his heart beginning to pound traitorously inside his chest.

Scorpius' response was to pressed harder and move his hand up a little further.

Albus sighed and tried to pry his thigh away, making a small squeak of surprise when Scorpius gripped harder and squeezed in retaliation, pulling the leg back to press up against his own.

"Malfoy..."

The blonde raised impassive eyebrow as he turned his gaze upon the dark-haired boy, his pale hand resuming it's distracting caresses.

Albus sighed once again in momentary defeat as he reached across Scorpius to grab the knife and the unchopped ingredients, realizing that Malfoy had decided exactly what he was going to do during the rest of class and it didn't matter if Albus wound up chopping his own fingers off in the process because he was getting so damn turned on. No, Scorpius didn't care at all. Stupid, stubborn git. When he leaned forward, however, Scorpius' warm breath tickled his ear, teasing him further.

"I have something of yours. Something you left after last night's... rendevous."

Albus shuddered involuntarily from the silky tone the Slytherin possessed, knowing all too well he had left his school robes in Classroom 11 the night before. He had to beg Alex to borrow his extra one since he couldn't find his own spare without risk of being late to class. The brunette shifted back into his seat and began chopping methodically, taking extra care not to cut himself everytime Scorpius' hand grew closer to a part of him that was beginning to throb mercilessly.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Albus finally whispered back, already regretting his lie. The Slytherin's hand stilled for a moment, as if deciding whether Al was trying to be coy or simply pretend last night never happened. And that just wouldn't do. Glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention, Scorpius moved his free hand over Albus' own, pausing the Ravenclaw's cutting, as he moved to his ear once again.

"Now don't pretend like last night didn't happen, because it did," Scorp's lips grazed Albus' earlobe as he continued speaking, inwardly delighted at the low whimper the Ravenclaw emitted from his throat, "And I don't take kindly to liars or people who take advantage of me without my consent. Do well to remember that."

Simultaneously, Scorpius' hand pressed possessively against Al's crotch as soft lips suddenly found themselves on his neck, leaving a light bite on the tan skin. With a soft yelp, Albus leapt from his stool with his hands out, knocking over the black pot filled with an unfinished purple potion. It all felt like slow motion really. His green eyes watched in rapt horror as their potion spilled, decorating the nearby wall and floor rather haphazardly. But that wasn't the worst of it. Of course not. The harmless-looking liquid began to bubble, steam lifting from the potion rather quickly. It wasn't until the smell hit Albus' nose, however, that he began to back away. It smelt like overcooked eggs mixed with Hippogriff dung and a dash of shriveled slug guts.

Professor Elwes immediately started ushering the panicked class out of the dungeon, but not before Colette Zabini tipped her own cauldron on the way out, the heavy pot landing on the Professor's foot with a loud clank.

Between another Albus/Scorpius-related debacle and Colette Zabini trying to amputee his foot with a cauldron, Mr. Elwes was seriously considering resigning before the term ended.

()

It had been five days. Five excruciatingly long and silent days. The moment after Flair had slapped Colette, the Slytherin wanted to chase her down and demand an explanation but went to Quidditch practice instead, peeved. Friday morning, after witnessing Flair's scratched face, Colette wanted to run over and demand what the hell had happened, but Scorpius held her back and said to wait. So she did. And she waited some more. The normally calm and impassive Slytherin felt as if she had a sudden case of that muggle term Bipolar Disorder; one minute she wanted to rush to Flair's side and beg forgiveness and the next she wanted to remain stubborn and wait for the redhead to come around. And yet through all of it, Colette couldn't help but ponder when she had become so dependent on someone else for her happiness, and in such a short amount of time no less.

Flair never reached out to her, never owled but always looked. That was the worst, in Colette's opinion. To know that Flair was completely aware of the turmoil she was putting the Slytherin through. It was finally on Tuesday after Divination that she decided to make her move. Instead of hanging back with Scorpius until the class dispersed, Colette practically trampled over her fellow classmates to reach the redhead, grabbing the girl's hand and dragging her down the stairs and into a nearby alcove, out of sight from their peers.

"Why are you ignoring me?"

"Why are you ignoring me?" The redhead harshly whispered back, gripping Colette's hand roughly as a means to get the darker girl to let go; she didn't budge.

"Are you kidding me? You've been ignoring me for five days," Colette turned to look at the Gryffindor, trying not to get frustrated by the smaller girl's lack of eye contact.

"I could say the same..."

Realizing this was going nowhere fast, Colette sighed, "Look, I didn't approach you because I didn't know what to say. I mean, you slapped me. Granted, I was being an ass I guess..."

"You guess? You're a girl too, babe. Don't you hate that phrase when your guy friends ask you?" Flair finally turned her blue eyes to meet hazel, both tinged with sadness and annoyance.

"Well yeah, of course I do. I'm really sorry," Colette tugged on Flair's arm to bring her closer, wrapping her arms around the redhead's waist and ignoring her stiffness, "Come on I'm really sorry..."

Small shivers ran down Flair's back at the feel of Colette nuzzling her neck again, in that special way she only knew how to do. However, Flair was still stubborn and foolhardy at times and decided to remain stoic despite her slight excited hitch in breath.

Colette, being as observant as the snake her house represented, noticed the change of breath and smiled in triumph before repeating the intimate action, leaving a small kiss behind Flair's ear, "Come on... Stop being so stubborn. Look, we both were being silly. But I'm here now and I'm apologizing because I like us together. What do you want me to do to make it up to you?"

Flair couldn't help the small smirk that graced her lips as Colette spoke, a million ideas sparking through her vivid imagination, "Oh, I can think of a few..."

"I'm sure you could, you little minx," Colette tightened her grip around Flair before pulling back slightly, looking down at her girlfriend as her finger traced the fading scar on her face, "But first, you need to tell me who the hell gave you this so I can kick their ass."

Being reminded of the scar made something angry flash in Flair's eyes before she sighed and shook her head, pushing Colette's tracing finger away gently, "No one. It was all me. Just being clumsy. Walked into a tree. Those damn branches sure know how to fight back alright..."

She laughed lightly, as did Colette, but the mohawked girl couldn't help but think it felt forced. She wouldn't push for now but she definitely planned on keeping a closer watch on her lady from now on.

"Alright, I've never gone up against a tree before, but I like my odds," she winked softly before leaning down and capturing Flair's lips in a deep kiss, savoring her mouth as if it was oxygen, "But first, I'd like to know how I'm going to make it up to you..."

A small blush rose on Flair's cheeks as she tried to slow her breathing, forgetting how much she missed kissing the Slytherin, "Well that's definitely a start..."

()

After the incident in potions and Albus' blatant ignoring during Divination, Scorpius decided to take a cue from his best friend and seek out his own slippery Ravenclaw. He found him sitting oh-so-innocently in the empty courtyard drawing with his new art set, the autumn wind twisting around him rather delicately. Something strange caught itself in Scorpius' throat at the sight of the Ravenclaw using the art set he gave him. For a moment, the Slytherin thought he was dying from the inability to breathe as his chest tightened up rather unexpectedly, but soon enough his lungs remembered how to work and oxygen flowed freely through his body once more. Upon realizing that his lack of breathing wasn't from a bodily malfunction but rather an emotional one, Scorpius immediately berated himself for feeling something so... fluffy toward the Ravenclaw and immediately set out to shake off the unnatural feeling.

Scorpius walked as quietly as he could toward the unsuspecting Potter, grinning inwardly when Albus made no sign of knowledge towards the blonde's presence. He suddenly covered Al's eyes with his hands and dropped his head to speak, "You know, being the son of the head of the auror department, I thought you'd be more observant of your surroundings."

Albus, after forcing his breathing to regulate, scowled and threw off Scorpius' hands before trying to cover up his artwork which just happened to be a drawing of something suspiciously blonde and dapper. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"The question should be, what you want from me, Potter?"

Al involuntarily blushed at the unintended double entendre and forced himself not to fidget nervously despite the strong urge to do so, "I-I don't want anything from you..."

Scorpius couldn't help the feral grin that overtook his face at Potter's meek response, contrasting greatly with the Ravenclaw's brave little "performance" last night, (which he had every intention of figuring out what had made Albus so bold in the first place). Instead, he pulled Albus' rumpled school robe out of his bag and dangled it in front of the dark-haired boy teasingly. "You mean, this doesn't belong to you..."

It wasn't a question, Albus knew, but rather a statement meant to provoke an unsettling reaction for the Slytherin's sick amusement. He went to reach out for it and inwardly growled when Scorpius took it back with a tutting noise of disapproval.

"What do you want for it?" Albus gritted through his teeth, hating himself for how easily the blonde could rile up his naturally patient demeanor.

"Now no need to get hostile," Scorp scolded as he sat down next to Albus, purposely pressing his thigh against the Ravenclaw's in the process, "I just feel I deserve something in return for taking such good care of it."

"It hasn't even been 24 hours... I hardly call that a burden."

"I could have just scorched it you know," Scorpius frowned, slightly irritated that Albus wasn't playing into his game so easily. He knew how he wanted this encounter to end and he was damn well going to get it.

Albus finally rasied his green eyes to glare into grey ones, immediately regretting it when Scorpius licked his lips slowly. The Ravenclaw's eyes widened comically as he bit his lip before looking away, not trusting himself to be around Malfoy for much longer (especially not alone) as last night's memories seemed to choose this moment to flood into his frontal lobe.

"Alright, Malfoy. I'll play along. What do you want?" He started to put his art supplies away when a cool hand shot out to grab his wrist, sending shivers down the shorter boy's spine.

"A kiss."

Albus gasped under his breath and withdrew his arm from Scorpius' grasp, looking at the beautifully pale boy incredulously, "A kiss? That's it?"

"Precisely..." Scorpius gave him an innocent smile that just didn't look right with his calculating silver orbs, "But there are conditions."

"Of course," Albus muttered.

"Like," Scorpius continued talking over the other boy's mumbles, "No body-binding, no unnecessary biting, it lasts for at least a minute, tongue required and you have to reciprocate. Which shouldn't be a problem if your little show last night had anything to say about your feelings toward me."

"Fuck off," Albus growled as he moved to stand up, angry that Scorpius seemed to find Albus' love life so amusing. The Slytherin, as if expecting this reaction, promptly reached out and grabbed Albus' slender hips, forcing him to sit on his lap as art supplies and sheets of paper fell to the floor.

Making a noise of sputtered indignance, Al tried to push himself off of the blonde, but the other boy held firm also growling his next statement in annoyance, "Stop struggling, Potter. It's not that silly of a request... considering the other things we've done."

And dammit, there was that predatory grin that all but made Albus turn to mush on the spot and make him feel like a prey that wanted to be devoured because if Malfoy was the predator, Albus could die happy. With a defeated sigh, Al twisted his waist to face Scorp as he tentatively placed his hands on Scorpius' shoulders for balance, "Fine. But on your lap? Really?"

"My reward. My rules."

"Well, make it quick then..." Albus tried to sound impatient as he rolled his eyes, but his words came out sounding more excited and hopeful.

Scorp just gave a breathy chuckle of amusement that made Al's hairs rise as one of his pale hands reached up to cup the Ravenclaw's face while he leaned forward, pausing an inch before reaching the brunette boy's lips. Time felt like it stood still and Albus never knew anticipation could be a far worse torture than any curse or hex could provide. He felt baited as Scorpius refused to close the distance between their lips, practically taunting Al to give in, to surrender. On normal circumstances, the middle Potter would refuse out of pure stubborness, but he wanted this. He wanted a kiss from Scorpius that wasn't forced, out of revenge or not reciprocated because one of them was physically paralyzed from the other's wand. He wanted something that felt normal between them because everything else considering their predicament was vastly unique, and not in the pleasant way. So Albus moved forward. He pressed his mouth confidently against Scorpius' as his hands trailed up from the taller prefect's shoulders to wrap around his neck.

So this is what's been missing... Albus and Scorpius thought at the same time as their lips voluntarily molded together, gently at first before Scorpius took the lead and slipped his tongue into Al's mouth, making them both groan in satisfaction as their tongues teased and fought for dominance. Albus wasn't sure when it happened, but he somehow maneuvered himself to straddle his Slytherin's lap... and when did he start thinking of Scorpius as his Slytherin? He didn't dwell on that disturbing thought for long, however, as Scorpius' hands trailed down his sides and gripped his ass possessively, pressing their bodies closer together and loathing the bulkiness of their uniform robes.

Finally breaking apart with a shuddering breath, Albus pulled back slightly to try and reorient himself, only to be grabbed forward again by his blue and bronze tie as Scorpius' kisses became more urgent, and dare he think it, needy. Albus moaned into the blonde's mouth helplessly as he allowed himself to be literally ravaged by the boy's talented lips. The Ravenclaw internally whined when Scorpius finally pulled away, gasping for breath as he kept Al close, their chests rising and falling heavily against eachother like an teetering seesaw.

"Wow," Al heard Scorpius say under his breath, almost too quiet to hear if they weren't in an abandoned courtyard. The Ravenclaw simply nodded gently in agreement, pressing his forehead to the Slytherin's while his breath finally returned.

"I-I think that was more than a minute..." Albus murmured faintly with a soft smile, keeping his eyes closed as he remained where he was, enjoying the odd intimacy of the moment. Scorpius, on the other, found himself being plunged back to reality as the last five minutes had been a little to life-altering for his liking. Suddenly feeling claustrophobic, Scorp pulled back and gently pushed Al's hips, signaling for the smaller boy to stand.

"Yeah... I guess it was worth it," Scorpius whispered as he handed Albus his school robe, as promised, without meeting the confused green eyes.

Al furrowed his eyebrows in contemplation towards Scorpius' suddenly uncomfortable demeanor as he reached for his robe, his hand brushing against Scorp's in the process. As soon as their skin met, the Slytherin hissed as if burned and abruptly stood up. He brushed off his own clothes as if their was filth lingering among the threads before proceeding to walk past Al, careful to not brush their shoulders or have any other body contact with the brunette.

"See you at the prefect's meeting later."

"See you..." Albus trailed off, suddenly feeling disappointed and more puzzled than ever before. Once he knew Scorpius was out of earshot, he bent down to pick up his belongings, muttering to himself, "What the hell?"

Unknown to Albus, Scorpius was grumbling the same phrase as he headed back to the castle, but adding self-deprecating insults such as, 'idiot', 'wanker' and his personal favorite, 'glutton for punishment'. The kiss had done more to him than he expected and seeing a drawing of immaculate likeness to himself on the floor with Al's things only added gasoline to the flame known as his emotions.

()

The rest of the week felt like a blur to Albus: filled with homework, awkward prefect meetings and absolutely no mention of the intimately passionate kiss he had shared with Scorpius Tuesday afternoon. He wouldn't say Scorpius was avoiding him, persay. It just seemed everytime Al looked at him, the blonde rapidly averted his eyes and blushed. Blushed! Al couldn't figure him out. Yet again.

The Ravenclaw admitted to himself on Tuesday night that the kiss only proved to ignite his feelings for the irritating Serpent further and for some unfanthomable reason, Albus was accepting of it. Scorpius, however, seemed to be the opposite. Because Al wasn't stupid, (he was in Ravenclaw for a reason), and he knew that Scorp felt what he had felt when they kissed; it wasn't volatile or dominating or vengeful. It was hot and suffocating in the best way possible with an underlying sweetness Al didn't think the boy could possess. He felt like a diabetic drowning in the finest chocolate. And it was for this reason alone that Al wouldn't give up.

He found himself on Saturday afternoon with Rose and the other prefects setting up for The Ghoul's Gala and trying in vain to keep the other students away from the Great Hall. Despite his undying focus on figuring out his feelings for the Serpent leader this week, he was also very much aware of the fact that he was supposed to meet his S.A. tonight and end the mystery that had baffled him for the past month.

"So, Al... You excited for tonight?" Rose grinned knowingly as she flicked her wand, helping her cousin raise green and purple streamers to dangle down from the enchanted ceiling.

"Hmm? Oh yeah," Albus murmured as he mimicked the redhead's moves, completely lost in his own thoughts as per usual this week.

"Alright, spill."

"What? There's nothing to spill," Al snapped his head to look at Rose, his green eyes a little glazed over from daydreaming.

"Uh-huh."

"I'm just nervous. About tonight I guess," he shrugged lightly as he turned back to his work, trying very hard to ignore the intense gaze he could feel from Malfoy across the hall as the Slytherin helped Zabini set up one of the many game booths for the gala.

"As you should be, I suppose..."

Little did the two Ravenclaws know that an eerily similar conversation was happening between the two 6th year Slytherin prefects.

"Alright, spill."

"I have no idea what I'm supposed to be 'spilling' here, but I do know you're supposed to be helping me set up this horrid contraption." Scorpius glared distatefully at the large slab of wood with cut-outs drilled through it, each with a number above it.

Colette merely raised an unamused eyebrow at her best friend's way of trying to avoid an obviously uncomfortable subject, but humored him nonetheless, "Apparently it's called a bean-bag toss. The professors thought that it would be fun to also add some Halloween Muggle games to the gala since they're pushing that theme."

"I'll never understand Muggles," Scorpius sighed as he bent down to pick up the orange colored beanbags that were strewn along the floor, tossing them in a bucket, much like a basketball player.

"So back on point. What's up with you? You've been really anti-social this week," Colette tilted her head and gave him a look that usually crumbled his resolve, but Scorpius was determined not to verbalize anything having to do with Monday night or Tuesday afternoon until he figured it out himself. So he gave her an answer he was comfortable with.

"Tonight," he sighed gently as they moved onto setting up the next booth, a table that required bowling pins and softballs, "What's up with Muggles and throwing things anyway? This is the fourth booth where it's required to pelt something. And don't get me started on that bobbing for apples bullshit. Unsanitary."

"Don't change the subject," Colette snapped as she placed her hands on her hips.

"I don't know. I mean," he softened his voice so only she could hear, "I know I said I would reveal myself to him tonight but what if it all goes horribly wrong? What was I thinking when I started this anyways?"

Colette placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and gazed up at him with warm hazel eyes, "You were thinking it would just be another prank in your Potter-Malfoy rivalry and you found yourself falling down the rabbit-hole instead."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, sorry," the dark girl squeezed his shoulder affectionally before blushing a little, "Muggle reference. Flair has been exposing me to her 'world', which includes a crash-course in all Muggle things books, media and fashion have to offer."

"Who have you become?" Scorpius looked at her mildly horror-stricken, "I know we said for you to push your limits since your father has gone bonkers, but truly this might be too much."

"Shut up, Scor," Colette laughed and pushed her friend playfully, "It's all rather fascinating actually..."

"Alright, hand over the polyjuice potion you imposter."

Colette Zabini merely rolled her eyes in amusement and chanced a glance toward Albus, smirking in triumph when she caught him quickly looking away from them with guilty reddened cheeks.

()

After the initial set-up with the other prefects, Al took a power nap filled with dreams of smoldering grey eyes and cool, pale hands. When he awoke, he grumbled in annoyance at the hardness between his legs before he hopped in the shower to remedy the issue. When it was time to put on his gorgeous dress robes, he felt himself hesitate, feeling as if he was betraying Scorpius but willingly going to the gala in search for his other love interest, if they could even be called that.

"You're being ridiculous. He's not even your boyfriend," the Raveclaw stated simply as he began to dress, "Hell, he isn't even your lover technically... right?"

A rather detailed mental chart of what constituted being a lover filled his head while he finished getting ready, his mind finally settling on the fact that Malfoy and him were not lovers and one consensual kiss didn't change anything. When he reached the common room, he was greeted by a very believable Persephone and Hades and laughed in delight.

"Wow! You two look great!" Albus praised as he hugged Rose gently, making sure not to jar her costume, which consisted of a beautiful flowing white gown, trimmed with dangling blue sleeves and form-fitted around the middle with a gold-rope bodice. Her normally frizzy red hair was charmed straight and swept up with flowers. Jeremy, on the other hand, hardly looked like the gentle seventh-year Ravenclaw he usually represented. Instead, he was decked out in a short black and red tunic, black leather pants, heavy black boots and a long black cape. His sandy-blonde hair was transfigured to look like a flickering flame atop his head and his glasses were replaced with red contacts that Rose must have ordered from a Muggle Halloween shop.

"Uh, Rose thought it would be a good idea to go with the modern version of Hades..." Jeremy mumbled as he glanced down at his attire, not really used to such attention. Most of Ravenclaw house had already come through the common room to leave for the Gala and many of the girls had given him overly-obvious appreciative looks, much to Rose's chagrin.

"See, this is why I was okay thinking you were my S.A."

"Excuse me?" Jeremy looked at Al, baffled for a moment, before glancing at his goddess for clarification.

"Eh, that's just Albus' way of saying you look sexy as hell," Rose chuckled as she shook her head, giving Al a 'he's mine' glare jokingly.

Al puts his hands up in mock surrender before grinning, "Hey, just stating a fact. I really like the costume idea by the way."

"Well it seemed fitting since it went with the invitation Jeremy so creatively thought of," the redhead beamed brightly at the slender boy before leaning up to give him a gentle kiss, making his cheeks match his hair, "Oh, and we have nymphs, too."

"Really? Who did you rope into your little Greek mythology scheme?"

"Lily, actually. And Roxanne and Georgina."

"Lily, I'm not surprised... Just what she needs. A costume that personifies her natural personality," Albus grumbled as he placed his shaking head in his hand, "You should have told her to be a Siren instead."

"I did, but she didn't care for the idea of transfiguring half of her body into a bird. Said it would be highly unattractive."

"Of course she did."

The three laughed at they left the common room, Albus' nerves once again beginning to frazzle as they headed toward the Great Hall.

()

By the time the Ravenclaw trio arrived, the gala was in full swing. Live music from the popular band The Boggarts blared from the stage as the two-girl pop duo encouraged the students to dance along with them energetically. Streamers of colored paper dangled from the ceiling, swaying back and forth in a way that made it look like thousands of fingers were wiggling and trying to reach the students below. Carved Jack-O-Lanterns decorated each table of food, charmed to sing when someone came within their vicinity. There was an everlasting fog that settled along the ground and licked up the legs of the dancing mass. The large hall looked fairly similar to the Forbidden Forest, but people seemed to like the slightly eerie feel of the decorations and special effects. Many people also seemed taken with the idea of Muggle games and each booth had a fairly decent line of costumed teens waiting for their chance to win the stuffed prizes promised with victory.

"Hey guys!" Lily ran up to her three favorite Ravenclaws with a grin, a bundle of said stuffed prizes in her barearms, which were painted a pastel shimmering silver-blue along with the rest of her body. Her hair was charmed a seafoam green and had seashells and pearls strewn about the long locks that covered her unclothed shoulders that glittered under the lights.

"Lily," Albus started patiently, a small fire burning in his green eyes, "where are the rest of your clothes?"

The youngest Potter gave her brother a strange look before glancing down at her attire and then back to Al, completely confused, "I'm wearing them?"

The Ravenclaw took a small steadying breath before running his hands through his tousled hair, trying not to ruin it too much, "I know when Rose said nymph I expected you scantily dressed, but this... I wear more to bed!"

"Ew, T.M.I. little brother," James' voice cut in at what he suspected was going to be another infamous Potter sibling argument. James, deciding to tap into his inner gangster, was clad in an old black and red-pinstriped Zoot suit complete with a black fedora and red feather. Natalia was not far behind him, draped in a shimmering red dress that Albus was fairly sure was a replica of that Muggle cartoon character Jessica Rabbit. Needless to say the drooling factor rose to an all-time high amongst the male population for the evening.

"Not now, James," Albus cut off irritably, "Do you see what our little sister is wearing? Or should I say not wearing?"

James raised his eyebrow at his little brother's protectiveness before chancing a glance at Lily, his eyes widening a bit. While Al was definitely over-exaggerating like his typical mother-hen self, the oldest Potter couldn't help but notice that his baby sister was wearing what looked to be a bra made out of pearls and an extremely sheer blue chiffon skirt (if it could even be called that since it stopped upper/mid thigh). James cleared his throat for a minute before speaking, using his I'm-your-big-brother-so-you-have-to-listen-to-me voice, "Lily, I have no idea how you snuck in here wearing that, but I suggest you at least put something on to cover up your stomach.. and that area." He gestured upward with his hand nonchalantly, "No brother should ever be subjected to the horrors of his kid sister's nudity."

Rose and Natalia both giggled behind their hands at the spectacle, but Lily was fuming as she threw her prized stuffed animals on the ground and crossed her arms over her barely concealed chest, "I'm fourteen. I am not a kid and I can wear whatever I damn well please. I'm a Nymph! I'm pretty sure Nymphs were usually naked back in their day so you both are lucky I bothered putting anything on at all!"

And with a screech of irritation, the small Gryffindor threw her hands up and walked off.

Al sighed and bent down to pick up the dropped toys before a large hand reached out to grab them from him instead.

"Hey..."

"Sorry," Thomas apologized swiftly as he finished picking up the prizes, "Duty calls." He gave them all a soft smile before running off after his fiery lover, making sure he didn't make eye contact with either Potter boy after hearing the siblings' argument.

"No sex! I don't care if she is a Nymph tonight, she's still my sister! And I know where you sleep young man!" James called to Thomas Handler's retreating back, resisting a chuckle as Natalia hit him on the arm before gesturing to the students, who were starting to look at their Head Boy with expressions of bewilderment mixed with embarassment.

"You're unbelievable."

"You love me."

"Unfortunately," Natalia grinned and looped her arm into James' before looking Albus up and down appreciatively, "Wow, Al, you clean up well. I might have to reconsider which Potter boy is for me." She winked conspiratorially before kissing James' cheek, smiling at his look of contempt at the thought.

"Thanks, Talia," Al couldn't help but blush, not used to having attention on him, "Well let's just hope my secret admirer agrees and doesn't chicken out."

"Indeed."

()

Said secret admirer was chickening out. Most definitely. After setting up early that afternoon, Scorpius tried to take a short nap before getting ready but found himself lying back on his bed and staring at the ceiling for a good hour before realizing rest would not come to him. He opted instead for a long hot shower before he started to dress. Cody and Adrian had already left together and Rodney was still lying in bed when Scorpius began pulling on his black Muggle tuxedo.

"Are you ditching tonight?" Scorpius questioned his larger friend as he adjusted his black bow tie.

"Nah, I'll be down there soon enough," Rodney grumbled from his pillow.

"Suit yourself. There's a hangover potion on my bedstand if you need it."

Rodney gave a thankful grunt before quieting again, not moving from his plush mattress. Moments of silence passed as Scorpius gelled back his hair and put on his shoes.

"Who are you supposed to be?"

"James Bond... apparently," Scorpius murmured as he finished lacing his dress shoes, "I told Colette I wanted something simple and understated and she said this would be perfect. That American girlfriend of hers has been forcing her to watch all these old Muggle films. I guess James Bond is kind of a badass spy who always has hot girls at his disposal."

"Sounds perfect for you," Rodney noted sarcastically, "Except for the 'girls at his disposal' part. I haven't seen you fall out of any broom closets lately. You may be losing your touch."

"Oh shove off," Scorpius grumbled good-naturedly as he chucked his own pillow toward Goyle with a satisfied smirk when it hit him directly on the back of the head, "I've just been busy. Besides, Malfoy's do not fall out of broom closets. We gracefully tumble, if anything."

"Way to sound like a poof."

Scorpius snorted automatically before he cleared his throat, suddenly feeling uncomfortable as he realized that Rodney was dead-on. He had been 'tumbling' around with a certain boy, making him more of a poof than his friend knew. "Well with how I look tonight, I'm sure Scorpius Malfoy's track record will be back on track."

Rodney finally sat up to look his friend over with a self-satisfied nod before he got out of bed and headed toward the bathroom, stopping in the doorway, "Good, because I can't stand the rumors flying around."

"What rumors?" Scorpius raised an uninterested eyebrow, even though something that felt like a lead bullet pierced through his stomach.

"Eh, it's mostly girlish gossip I think, but things have been said about you and Ravenclaw-Potter. And not the normal Scorpius-hates-Potter-so-he-pranks-him bullshit. More along the lines of what Adrian and Cody are up to behind closed doors."

Scorpius' clenched his fists involuntarily as his jaw locked, that metaphorical lead bullet escaping his body only to be chucked through him again and again.

"Well if that's your reaction, then I'm relieved. I knew it was all just rumors. Even if you did decide to suddenly go that way, the last person you'd choose would be pathetic Ravenclaw-Potter. I blame my stupid sister and her friends," Goyle shot his friend a slightly symphathetic look as he shrugged before disappearing into the bathroom. The sound of the shower turning on seemed to drown out Scorpius' "fuck".

The Serpent leader remained frozen in thought until 10 minutes later when he heard Rodney's shower end, deciding to dash out of their dorm room and wander the halls alone, not in the mood to hear any more of his friend's opinions on the matter.

He really hadn't thought this through. He really hadn't.

In some sort of fantasy he had conjured in his head, Scorpius imagined just showing up to the dance, sweeping Al off of his feet and that being it. Or the other extreme where he revealed it all to be the huge prank that he had started it as. Of course, all of this changed with that kiss on Tuesday. Why he had to suggest the damn kiss as a reward was beyond him; he always knew he lead to his own self-destruction. That kiss changed everything. It was so authentic. In those blissful moments, Scorpius felt as though Albus was his and his alone and that the Ravenclaw would be there for him whenever he needed. Would support and care and love him. It was those realizations that normally had the headstrong Slytherin literally running for the hills that afternoon. And the rest of the week.

He had never felt this way about anyone. None of the girls he had snogged or screwed around with. Those were just sexual experiments in his opinion. No emotion. No attachment. With Albus though, he had always been attached, whether it be through hatred or lust or dare he say it, love. No... Affection. Love was not a word Scorpius tossed around lightly. He loved his parents and The Serpents and that was about it. That emotion couldn't include Potter; it would be far too risky. Because while Scorp knew he would always have his family and his friends no matter what happened, he was quite positive he would not always have Albus Severus Potter. The Ravenclaw was one of those who would wake up one day from his grand delusions and realize that Scorpius Malfoy was simply not worth the trouble and leave.

And it was that thought alone that had Scorpius tossing and turning in sleeplessness each night the past week.

Rodney's statement moments ago only seemed to accentuate his uneasiness and seal his inner fears. Without realizing it, Scorpius found himself in front of the Great Hall, his thoughts drowned out by the loud music blaring through the ancient walls and the shouts and laughter echoing from within. Scorpius knew he could run. He never had to step foot into the gala and never had to see how breathtaking Albus most likely looked in the robes he purchased specifically for him. Of course, Colette would probably murder him for not showing up and as a prefect, he was expected to make an appearance, but none of that really mattered did it? Not when his heart decided that it actually existed and was capable of something deeper than shallow encounters.

Scorpius stood hidden near the doorway, debating on whether to listen to his head or his heart.

Next time on Jigsaw Love:

The Ghoul's Gala continues! What are the rest of our Slytherin's dressed as? What will the brazen Flair's costume be? Will Lily put some clothes on? Will James and Fred behave themselves or will pranks ensue? And of course, what will our favorite Serpent decide?


	11. The Ghoul's Gala Part 2

Luckily for Scorpius, the decision was made for him. Underneath the sound of the thump-thump of wild music, a combined thrum of moaning could be heard in the alcove next to the Great Hall doors. Under normal circumstances, the Slytherin prefect would ignore it and let whoever it was have their fun (despite it being his responsibility to stop indecent acts on school property) but the sound of his close friend's name being gasped out caused him to roll his eyes and head over toward the commotion.

"Hello, Zabini," he drawled, an amused smirk on his lips as he glanced between the panting boys. "Oh, and what a surprise. Thames."

Adrian, who had his back turned to the blonde, grunted in annoyance and pushed Cody further in the wall, biting down on the darker boy's neck vigilantly instead of acknowledging his Serpent leader.

"I should deduct points…" Scorpius sing-songed as he raised a bemused eyebrow. He was fairly numb to their amorous displays of affection by now; having to witness many "accidental" encounters in the dorm room over the past couple weeks (though he swore Adrian simply planned out the timing just right). However, it still irked Scorpius to see Adrian possess an expression other than his usual apathetic mask, but if it made the pale brunette easier to handle then he would deal with it.

"H-Hi Scorp," Cody stuttered out, his legs trying to unwrap themselves from around Adrian's waist, but the taller boy held him firmly in place, continuing to pointedly ignore Scorpius during his pillage of Cody's exposed neck.

In response, the blonde merely sighed loudly and began tapping his foot impatiently, his dress shoes making an irritating clicking sound in the deserted hallway. Malfoy would never admit that he was grateful for this minor detour from his life-altering decision, even if it meant watching his two friends go at it.

Realizing the prefect wasn't going to budge (and thinking that perhaps he should just fuck Cody into the wall right then and there just to mortify his annoying blonde friend), Adrian finally pulled back and looked over his shoulder, cheeks flushed but cerulean eyes menacing, "You know, Malfoy, I'm grateful that you support us being together and all, but I never took you for a voyeur."

"And I never took you for an exhibitionist, Thames," Scorp returned easily, "I guess you really do learn something new everyday."

Adrian merely rolled his eyes and gently untangled his boyfriend's legs from his body before turning around to face his soon-to-be-ex-friend, "Alright, what do you want?"

Scorpius almost smiled in victory but Adrian's cold, un-amused glare kept him from doing so. Instead his put his hands up in mock surrender, "Oh, you know, I was just wondering if you had gone inside yet. If it was even worth going in…"

His tone held an air of nonchalance like a pro, but there was something tender in his steel eyes. It was something vulnerable that didn't look quite right on Malfoy's normally stoic face.

"We were heading that way," Cody cut in quickly before Adrian could open his mouth, catching the tension in Scorpius' eyes, "but we were distracted."

"I can see that. In fact it was your voice crying out in pleasure, Cody, which stopped me from going into the Gala in the first place."

Well it wasn't a complete lie.

Where Cody looked mortified, Adrian looked livid and Scorpius appeared rather smug with himself for causing such reactions. The moment of awkward silence ceased when Adrian opted to speak again, his tone returning to it's normal bored drawl.

"Well, now that you have effectively ruined the mood, I suppose we should make an appearance."

The other two murmured their agreements as Cody began to adjust his rumpled costume. It was then that Scorpius noticed what the two boys were wearing.

"Who the fuck are you two supposed to be?"

Cody looked down at his tight-fitting red and green latex outfit before sheepishly glancing back up at his Serpent leader, blushing furiously, "Um, Robin? I think? I don't know. Colette roped us into going with her and Flair's costume theme."

"Which is what? S&M wannabes?" Scorp asked in humored disbelief, finally taking in Adrian's costume as well: a tight black leather pantsuit and a cape that billowed past his calves.

"Batman," Adrian answered dryly, pointing to the yellow and black logo spread across his chest.

"Who the hell is that?"

"Apparently some vintage Muggle superhero," Cody piped in with a shrug as he tied on his green eye mask, having obviously lost it during his little rendezvous, "It has something to do with comic books. I don't know, it's all Flair's doing."

Scorpius instantly growled, irritated that the redhead was slowly but surely infiltrating his Serpent clan with her American wiles and suffocating personality. His friends were even addressing her by her first name instead of 'Ellison' or his preferred nickname, 'Satan's mistress.'

Ignoring Scorp's territorial noises, Adrian continued, "They wanted me to be the Joker or some ridiculous villain name like that, but I told them I'd hex them both until graduation if they tried to put makeup on me."

"Touché," Scorpius agreed.

And with that, they started walking toward the Gala with Cody a few steps ahead. Scorp smirked and couldn't help but whisper to his tall, raven-haired companion, "You know, Thames, I'm surprised you dressed up at all. Usually you're very… anti-fun."

Adrian scoffed as his crossed his arms over his chest, but a soft twinkle entered his cerulean eyes as he gazed ahead toward his 'Robin'. "It's all for him. He was so excited about dressing up I couldn't think to say no. I'm whipped for sure."

The pale boy sighed in resignation as he finally pulled his mask on, complete with little bat ears, before punching Scorpius' arm when he dared to laugh.

"Oh, yea you are," Scorp agreed as he rubbed his now-throbbing bicep good-naturedly, still amused by the black headpiece he had somehow missed before, "I mean what are those? Ears? They're the sorriest excuse for ears I've ever seen…"

"Malfoy…"

He found himself secretly thanking his lesbian best friend for giving him a different costume idea. The tightness of the boys' spandex pants however, Scorpius just couldn't let go of yet, even if it meant he would be hexed "Hey, nice arse there, Zabini. If you weren't so obsessed with Thames here, I'd offer my services to you."

"Watch it," Adrian warned, raising an un-amused eyebrow when Cody looked back with an embarrassed flush.

"What?" Scorpius asked innocently, "It's his fault for wearing… whatever it is he's wearing. He might as well be naked."

"Why do you think we wound up out here anyway?" Cody chuckled as he blew a kiss to Adrian, "And sorry, Scor… I'm all Adri's." Cody smiled sweetly, using his best friend's nickname almost patronizingly.

Adrian cringed inside at hearing the usually endearing nickname outside of their dorm, but he outwardly smirked in satisfaction toward Cody's declaration. Otherwise, 'Batman' would have to punish his sidekick later.

Cody flushed even more when he caught the heated blue gaze, turning away quickly to grab the Great Hall doors. As if reading his boyfriend's mind, he inwardly hoped Adrian would 'punish' the hell out of him after the gala just for fun.

Scorpius, picking up on the smoldering eye sex, merely rolled his own eyes and shook his head, "Party first, fuck later." He chuckled in amusement as he looked between his friends, before stopping and staring away ahead as the gala revealed itself behind the large oak doors, reality steeping like strong, bitter tea.

He faltered at the door for a moment before taking a deep, calming breath and entering, ignoring the baffled look Zabini sent his way as well as the all-knowing one from Thames; Scorpius always felt that the pale brunette serpent was far too perceptive for his own good.

The music and flashing lights enveloped his senses, momentarily distracting him from his mission. He internally face-palmed once it dawned on him why Colette was so adamant about him being James Bond: how else was he going to accomplish 'Mission: Reveal Scorpius as Potter's Secret Admirer'? He wanted to strangle his best friend at the moment for her ironic sense of humor, but the glimpse of messy black hair and midnight blue robes stole his attention.

"Ravenclaw-Potter cleans up nice, doesn't he?" Adrian cut into Scorpius thoughts with an innocent tone, making the latter boy jump slightly since he forgot they were still near him. Despite Adrian's tone, Scorpius knew better than to believe that his companion's words were an innocent inquiry; everything that boy did was pre-meditated like the true Slytherin he was.

Before Scorpius could reply, Cody grabbed Adrian's arm and began to excitedly guide him toward the game booths, the latter looking rather horrified at being coaxed into playing Muggle games for degrading prizes such as cheap stuffed toys, but there was a fondness in his eyes that couldn't be hidden despite his outward protests of disdain.

The Serpent leader watched the couple leave with an unsettled sigh before turning back to the center of the room, dreading his search for the blue robes and the striking boy filling them in rather superbly. The Ravenclaw in question looked rather peeved about something and Scorp hoped it wasn't because his secret admirer hadn't shown up yet. Schooling his features into the infamous impassive Malfoy mask, Scorpius slowly sauntered toward the raven-haired prefect, glad the shorter boy was still oblivious to his presence.

Albus had managed to push himself in a corner behind one of the prop trees in an effort to hide himself until he calmed down. He knew he had overreacted with Lily despite her lack of decency. He just couldn't help it. The thought of finally meeting his S.A. tonight had made the anxiety fester in his chest like an infected sore It was a well-known fact that Albus Potter was the most easy-going of his family unless something made him nervous, which transformed him into a more protective and paranoid mother hen than his own Grandmother Weasely. What if he wasn't attracted to them? What if they were insane? What if they were a 'she'? How could he have been so stupid to willingly go along with all of this in the first place?

Al growled in frustration and slapped his palm against the wall, the loud smacking sound lost among the booming music. He sighed and rested his forehead against the cool hard surface, suddenly wishing he was anywhere but here. Even sitting next to Malfoy awkwardly during Potions on Thursday was better than this building tension existing within him.

The sudden presence behind him (along with the possessive grip of fingers on his hips), made Al stiffen until that husky whisper of a voice that could only belong to a certain cocky blonde eased his anxiety.

"You look far too breathtaking to be making out with a wall, love. I'm sure there's bound to be someone here who'd be willing to kiss you."

Albus sighed out a shaky breath as shivers prickled down his spine, "What do you want, Malfoy?"

The Ravenclaw hated how his voice came out more like a breathy plea instead of a bitter command.

The grey-eyed blonde held back his sadistic chuckle, not wanting to anger the other sixth year until he confessed what he needed to. With a steadying breath, Scorp pulled Al closer to his chest and tried not to relish the way their bodies fit perfectly or how their heartbeats equally pounded in their constricting chests. Well not too much anyway.

"I just want to talk. I need to tell you something… preferably without all these distractions," he trailed off as he pressed tiny quick love bites down Al's exposed neck.

Albus moaned softly and pressed his ass back into Scorpius before catching himself and speaking in a tone much too exhausted, "I'm tired of your games, Malfoy. One minute you're hot, the next you're cold. I can't keep up and frankly I really don't want to. I have nothing to say to you nor do I want to hear anything you have to say to me."

Agreeing that the Ravenclaw had a valid point and that he would probably get nowhere right now by simply talking, Scorp formulated a new plan of attack as his lips returned to Al's ear, his voice dangerously low, "We don't have to talk then…"

Albus gasped loudly as Scorp grabbed the brunette's hands and pressed them both flat against the wall in front of him, sandwiching the Ravenclaw effectively with his own taller body.

"T-That's not what I meant and you know it," Al growled out as Scorp bit his neck again, harder and with exact precision this time. Despite his retort, however, Al's ass was once again speaking something entirely different as it pressed back and grinded against Scorpius' hardening crotch desperately.

"Well your body is saying something else entirely," Scorp chuckled breathlessly before moaning, "Fuck, you're so hot like this, Potter."

Pale slender fingers intertwined with tan against the wall as Scorpius moved to the other side of Al's neck, sucking on the sweet flesh and not wanting to lose the delicious heat their grinding bodies were developing.

"Mmm, not… not here," Albus finally breathed out, well aware of their surroundings and who could catch them despite the puddle of uselessness his brain seemed to melt into whenever the other boy was around.

"Classroom 11?" Scorp's lips twisted into a knowing smirk when Al nodded his head wordlessly, opting to gasp for air instead, "Okay, head through the professors' entrance so no one will see."

Al nodded again in agreement and began to head that way, immediately missing Scorp's heated body. He paused though with a cool hand gripped his own rather shyly, the Slytherin looking anywhere but at Al's face. The green-eyed boy smiled in amusement before tugging the blonde along, making sure to stay hidden behind the large props. The last thing they needed was to be followed.

Little did they know, perceiving brown eyes belonging to a hardly dressed redhead watched them exit with a smirk.

()

The walk to classroom 11 was a silent one, filled with anticipation and promised pleasure; both boys were too afraid to ruin it with words. Once the door of Classroom 11 closed, their lips reconnected passionately, dissolving any chance for words to halt their desire for each other.

Scorpius backed Albus into the wall once again, always consumed with the need to keep him caged in, as if the Ravenclaw would fly away at any given moment, the snake never wanting to give him the chance to. Albus didn't mind the constriction though and found the blonde's possessiveness even more of a turn-on.

Their kiss grew messy as they each fought for dominance, Al giving in as per usual, moaning loudly when Scorp's tongue pushed against his own demandingly. The blonde smiled against pliant lips in victory as his hand slipped into Al's dress robe before roughly un-tucking the silver dress shirt underneath, desperate to feel the warm skin it was hiding.

"W-What," Albus struggled to speak against Scorpius' insistent kisses, but finally managed to turn his head to side when he felt a cool palm graze his bare side, "What are you doing?"

"Payback for Monday night," Scorpius whispered against his ear, leaving open-mouthed kisses along his neck since he was denied Albus' now-bruised lips, "It really wasn't fair what you did you know..." His hand gripped Al's hip and pulled their bodies closer while he possessively bit into the brunette's neck with every intention of leaving his mark, "I didn't know you had it in you. For a moment I thought you were sorted into the wrong house…"

If only you knew… Albus couldn't help but think before a moan escaped his lips and any thought processes went out the window. Suddenly wearing the dress robes seemed like a bad idea because he was extremely overheated and whatever Scorpius was doing with that snake-like tongue of his was only making matters worse. His inner grumblings were soon vanquished at the sound of his belt buckle being fiddled with.

"M-Malfoy?"

"Shh, let me play," Scorpius growled against Al's lips before kissing him furiously again, his dexterous fingers succeeding in ridding the Ravenclaw of his trousers in a matter of seconds. The blonde finally broke away, panting heavily as he looked down. "Chocolate frogs, eh? Why am I not surprised?" he drawled in amusement, finding Al's choice of undergarments rather adorable and then mentally scolding himself for thinking such a fluffy thing.

Albus merely responded by biting his lower lip uncertainly and blushing, which only forced Scorpius to mentally beat himself over the head again for his sudden desire to snuggle with the precious artist. Snuggle? Merlin help me...

Instead of continuing his inner argument, Scorpius immediately dropped to his knees and dragged his tongue above the waistband of said-cute boxers, leaving a wet trail of skin behind, before he gently bit on the boy's hipbone and sucked the skin greedily.

"Fuck," Al cursed as his knees threatened to buckle, chills blossoming from the spot where Malfoy's mouth was attached. The fact that he got the Ravenclaw to curse so loudly only encouraged Scorpius to grab the fabric between his teeth and slowly peel the chocolate-frog boxers down his bare legs, revealing the body part that the Slytherin hadn't been able to forget about since Monday night.

The blonde 'James Bond' sat back on his heels and admired his obsession for a moment: the lithe brunette breathing erratically with his silver dress shirt rumpled and pulled up to reveal his tanned flat stomach, those midnight dress robes fanned back against the wall like an inky backdrop and those long, lightly sculpted legs, bare and leading up to a rather hard cock, already dripping with precome and just inviting Scorpius to have a taste.

Albus, feeling pleasantly unsettled with how Scorpius' eyes were raping him, wanted to grab his robes and wrap them around himself but was too startled to move, those steel orbs holding him in place like a pair of handcuffs. It wasn't until those same eyes finally met his that he dared exhale, unaware that he was even holding his breath.

"Fuck, you're beautiful," Scorpius whispered rather hoarsely before swallowing and running his hands through his gelled locks, messing them up completely. Once again afraid he might scare off his Ravenclaw, Scorpius immediately set to his task and placed his hands on those boney hips, leaning forward to blow a hot breath and smirking when Al's cock twitched in response.

A soft whimper and light hip bucking was all he needed before he opened his mouth and sucked in the head, swirling his tongue around the tip as Al arched his back away from the stone wall, his hands suddenly gripping the tousled blonde hair like a lifeline.

The Slytherin took this as a cue to take him deeper, swallowing lightly which made Al's thighs quiver in pleasure from the movement. Scorpius chanced a glance upward and wished he owned a Pensieve simply so he could take the memory of Al's face twisted with such ecstasy and re-watch it whenever he wanted. The normally awkward and shy boy was mesmerizing like this.

He also wasn't going to last long.

"Ah, Malfoy… s-slow down," Al breathed as he tipped his head forward, dark locks covering his flushed face as he gazed down at the blonde. Scorpius' response was to take Al as deep as his throat would allow followed by a tempting moan, hoping the vibrations would drive the Ravenclaw senseless.

Potter couldn't take it anymore. Gripping Scorp's hair more roughly, Al begin to gently thrust his hips with the encouragement of the blonde's hands on his ass cheeks, squeezing as if he owned them, (which, let's face it, in Scorpius' mind he did). The Slytherin moaned again as Al took over, fucking his face for all it was worth but still being mindful enough not to choke him. Scorpius swiftly undid he own pants and grabbed his throbbing cock, pumping himself furiously to the melody of sweet gasps and moans of enjoyment escaping the normally reserved Potter's lips.

It only took a couple more thrusts before Albus screamed out Malfoy's name (only his surname, of course), the latter swallowing greedily as one of his hands wandered between the boy's legs, a finger circling his entrance teasingly as the boy finished riding out his orgasm, his own following soon after.

"F-Fuck!" Albus nearly squealed out from Scorpius' surprising action, his green eyes popping open as he clenched around the teasing finger. With a sweet sigh, he relaxed against the wall, his legs suddenly shaky. Scorpius rose to his feet and captured the lax boy in a deep kiss, sharing the slight salty yet sweet taste between their parted lips. Scorpius figured it had something to do with all the chocolate Albus consumed.

"For someone who wears those types of boxers, you certainly don't sound like one when you're fucking my face," Scorpius murmured good-naturedly with a wicked smirk, prompting Al to look away and blush. The blonde gently grabbed his chin and redirected his face forward before placing a chaste kiss on his lips, "Mmm, I wanted to do that plus many other things to you Monday night."

Al chuckled nervously as he hesitantly brought his arms to wrap around the taller boy's neck, opting to hide his embarrassed face in the nook of Scorp's neck instead, which only made the latter chuckle breathlessly in amusement.

"It's amazing how one minute you can be so bold and the next so timid. You're an enigma, Potter."

"Flair says it's because I'm an Aquarius," Albus muttered against the pale throat before placing a sweet kiss there.

Scorpius rolled his eyes thinking what a 'Satan's mistress' thing to say before wrapping his arms around Albus' waist and pulling his closer, wanting to enjoy the moment of their afterglow and secretly hating himself for feeling so vulnerable and yet so protective of the shorter boy.

"So, does this make me your Bond girl?"

()

"Hmm I wonder where Scorpius is?" Colette mused as she glanced around the gala, glad to see that the games she and her best friend set up were such a hit among the students.

"Yeah, I haven't seen Albus either…" Flair trailed off with the same tone, before letting out a loud huff of exasperation.

Colette furrowed her eyebrows at her girlfriend's distressed sound but started laughing when she saw what was the cause of it.

"It's not funny!" Flair protested as she continued to swat at a rather perverted vine of ivy that insisted on trying to tuck itself in the chest portion of her green corset. "Baby…"

"Hey, you remember what I said before about me fighting off plant-life for you?" Colette retorted in amusement as she raised her hands in defense, "Besides I doubt that that vine really knows what it's doing."

"I beg to differ," Flair muttered in annoyance before letting out a squeak of indignation as it scurried further down between her breasts, "I think you may have some competition…"

Colette's eyes instantly narrowed at the offending green appendage before whipping out her wand and snipping it off, watching it fall to the floor with a rather satisfied glare.

"Oh, my hero!" Flair cried dramatically as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, kissing her cheek in thanks, "By the way, have I told you lately how hot it gets me when you act all jealous and possessive?"

But Colette didn't get to return the comment because suddenly she was sandwiched between her girlfriend and a boy that looked like her dressed in green and black spandex.

"You guys looks great!" Cody beamed as he backed off the couple, placing his hands on his hips in a very convincing Robin-manner, looking over his shoulder as Batman sauntered to his side, two stuffed animals in either hand. Granted, both toys looked like they were being strangled to death by said Batman which discouraged many onlookers from sniggering for fear of Adrian replacing the stuffed animals with their necks instead, which no one doubted he would do if provoked. Scorpius Malfoy may be the Serpent Leader and Slytherin Prince of Hogwarts, but it was well known that Adrian Thames was the group's ninja assassin. Though he would never discount himself by using such terminology. He preferred Prince of Darkness or something more threatening.

"As do you my favorite boys," Colette grinned as she took in their appearances, refusing to react to the adorableness of her twin hugging Adrian's side, oblivious of the taller boy's death grip on their stuffed prizes.

Flair let out a small scream as she jumped off the floor before glaring down at the vine, which was still somehow alive and kicking… or rather trying to crawl back up Flair's leg, "Creepy little fucker."

"Geez, what kind of spell did you use?" Colette eyed the greenery in awe before pulling her girl close to her.

"What? You know Charms is one of my strengths," Flair shrugged lightly, "Besides, I wanted my Poison Ivy costume to be perfect. I've always wanted to be her for Halloween but never could do it the way I wanted, because of all the Muggles in my neighborhood."

"Didn't you attend Salem Witches' Institute before arriving here?" Adrian finally spoke up, something he didn't do unless he liked the person; it actually baffled Scorpius that Thames took a liking to the flamboyant redhead, but Adrian's response was that anyone who could stand up to Scorpius and make him flustered so easily deserved some of his respect.

Bastard.

"I did, but I lived in the next town over from school and was able to live at home if I wanted to. It was less expensive for my family and it hardly affected my academic and social life. Things are a little different over there," Flair just shrugged with a thin smile, the expression on her face looking not at all happy but rather hollow.

Colette tilted her head before kissing Flair gently, relieved when that strange expression changed to one of happiness again, which in the Slytherin's opinion was the only facial expression her fiery lady should possess. "Oh, woops… got a little black on your lips there."

Flair chuckled as Colette fixed it, smiling at her Harlequin. Colette's facial makeup was exquisite and her outfit was as detailed as Flair's. The red and black latex fit her Quidditch-toned body well, much to Flair's pleasure, along with the fun hat with bells on it.

The Gryffindor on the other hand, was hardly clothed except for the green corset/leotard, green stilettos and numerous charmed vines that crawled along her exposed limbs in a tantalizing fashion. She even added long red extensions (the Muggle way, much to her dorm mate, Georgina Randell's, horror) to her already flaming-red hair. It was safe to say that some girl-on-girl hotness was bound to happen at some point in the evening. When Colette had murmured that to her girlfriend earlier, Flair's sly response was, "Well, why do you think I picked these two? I swear they're canon in the comics. It's too hot, not to be."

As Colette pulled back from fixing the shorter girl's makeup, she turned to her brother, "Hey, have you seen Scorpius?"

"Or Albus?" Flair chirped in.

"Well Scorpius came in with us and then he just disappeared…" Cody trailed off as he glanced around, "And I know I saw Ravenclaw-Potter around his friends earlier, but that was a while ago. How weird."

Or how coincidental… The other three in the group thought simultaneously, though none of them had shared their knowledge with each other.

"Whatever, let's dance," Flair interrupted the contemplating silence, grabbing Colette and dragging her to the dance floor. Cody beamed and grabbed Adrian's hand to follow, but stopped when he was pulled back, a look of confusion on his face. One look in Adrian's eyes though told the shorter boy all he needed to know before he grinned shamelessly and followed his Batman behind the prop trees for some slightly exhibitionist fun.

Colette merely rolled her eyes as she watched her friends escape behind the trees, reminding herself that last year that never would have happened and that she was grateful they finally woke up and realized their feelings for each other, even if it meant they humped like bunnies for eternity.

Speaking of humping for eternity… Colette grinned as she drew her attention back to Flair, whispering in her ear, "You know, as much as I love our costumes I really wish my makeup didn't hinder our kissing time…"

Flair laughed and shook her head as she pulled back, "You're truly unbelievable. Did I really fall for these charms so easily?"

"No, you fell for these," Colette declared as she expertly spun the shorter girl before dipping her in her arms followed by a dramatic wink.

This only made Flair laugh louder as she playfully smacked the darker girl's arm with a roll of her eyes, "See? Unbelievable."

The redhead's grin, however, suddenly vanished as the music lowered and the lights dimmed before a loud howling sound ripped through the Great Hall, sounding very much like a wolf. Colette placed Flair upright as she tilted her head in confusion and examined the Gryffindor's expression, which quickly transformed into one of panic. Zabini already knew what was going on with the random howling since she had helped planned the event, but it seemed that her girlfriend was freaking out over it.

As quickly the sound effects started they ceased as the next act appeared on stage, The Howlers, dressed up as werewolves as they began to play their first song which turned the perplexed mob of costumed students into a frenzy of excitement once more. All except for Flair, who had suddenly evaporated from Colette's protecting arms. The only clue she hadn't Apparated (besides not being of age and in Hogwarts, of course) was a flash of red hair slipping through the Great Hall doors undetected.

()

"Bond girl?"

"Yeah, you're James Bond right?" Albus raised his eyebrows in question as he slowly disentangled himself from Scorpius' arms, feeling rather chilly in his lower region. He started to slip on his pants and adjust his clothes before turning to face the blonde, immediately flushing crimson at the heated silver gaze he was receiving as Scorpius used a cleaning charm on his pants, never breaking eye contact.

"I'll take that as a 'yes' then," Al tried to joke light-heartedly, still slightly unsettled by the Slytherin's piercing stare. There was something about it that made Al nervous; it wasn't that it was full of desire or even predatory hunger. That, he was used to by now and actually welcomed such looks. No, there was something deeper there. Something emotional and almost… affectionate. That's what was making the Ravenclaw feel queasy, because Malfoy didn't do emotional; it was commonly understood throughout Hogwarts. And yet, the green-eyed boy was witnessing something flickering on the normally passive blonde's face and it made him want to run away as well as run into his arms.

He couldn't help but think that this all had something to do with Tuesday afternoon's kiss.

"So, uh, you guessed who I was huh?" Scorpius gave out a shaky laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck, finally breaking eye contact and looking down at the ground, also very uncharacteristic for the Serpent Leader. His grandfather had always taught him to never lose eye contact because it shows weakness and submission, but this moment in time Scorpius could care less what that old fart was saying in his head.

"Well, yeah… James Bond is my favorite Muggle character."

"Oh."

Another blush reached Al's cheeks as he spoke again, taking a few steps closer before bravely encircling Scorpius' neck once more, "It suits you actually. You're very Bondish."

"Bondish?" Malfoy couldn't help but smirk as he looked back into Al's humored eyes, "I take that as a good thing then?"

"Oh, yes. Very, very good," he smiled as he leaned up and stole another kiss, this one much less hurried and searching than their earlier ones. When he finally pulled back, Potter grinned, "So, you wanted to tell me something?"

Any blissful feelings Scorp was experiencing a moment ago shattered as Potter's words sunk in. That nagging fear of rejection crept back in despite the obvious irrationality behind it considering what they just finished doing, but what could he say? He was awful at this sort of thing and squishy things such as feelings made him want to slit his wrists.

"I," he started but paused to take a deep breath, "It has something to do with your Secret Admirer…"

"Oh no, I forgot!" Albus cut him off as he placed his hand over his face, "I was supposed to be waiting for them at the gala but you distracted me. Crap. They probably left already."

But before Al could turn away and leave the classroom, Scorpius pulled the smaller boy's body up against his and kissed him deeply.

"It's me."

Next time on Jigsaw Love: Everything comes to a head as the Gala comes to a close.


	12. The Ghoul's Gala Part 3

There are those moments when one feels completely out of their body, watching their life unfold like a scene in a story because it is simply too unrealistic for it to be accurately true. Albus was experiencing one of those moments. In fact, most of his sixth year so far felt like a fictional tale that would do better in a paperback than lived out.

"Y-You're my what?" Albus breathed out, partly from the intense breath-sucking kiss and partly from the confession.

"The one who's been sending you all those gifts… it was me," Scorpius spoke slowly, instinctively holding Albus close in case the brunette wanted to run off as he was so inclined to usually do when something happened that he couldn't comprehend. The Slytherin wanted to make sure his Ravenclaw wouldn't fly off anytime soon. Albus' reaction, however, startled Scorpius.

He was laughing.

Why does everyone laugh when I tell them I'm Potter's secret admirer? Scorpius thought in annoyance as he gently released the chuckling brunette. The blonde was trying his hardest to not feel offended by the boy's reaction.

"Oh, you almost had me," Albus gasped between wheezes, his hands falling to his knees to support himself, "I was this close to believing you."

The Slytherin scoffed as Albus made a gesture with his thumb and pointer finger to signify how close he was to believing Scorpius. Finally having enough of this, Malfoy grabbed Al and crushed him to his body once more as he spoke against his neck, not wanting to look into those disbelieving green eyes for fear of losing his nerve.

"I'm being serious, Potter. The book, the art set, the chocolates, these robes... all me," Scorpius whispered the last two words against Al's hair, hating himself for wanting Albus to believe him above all else.

Finally calming and catching his breath while in Scorpius' embrace, Al finally registered what the taller boy was saying and what it all truly meant, "Really? You're not just pulling a prank here?"

The shorter student tried to pull back to look into Scorp's eyes but the latter just held on tighter, burying his face in the nook of Al's neck, "Yes, really. Granted, it all started off as a prank, but..."

"What?" Al squeaked out as he tried to push Scorp off of him, practically growling when the blonde held him more firmly instead.

"I was saying, it started off as one but that's not how I feel about it now..."

Sensing Albus completely relax in his arms, Scorpius finally loosened his hold a little bit and backed up to look at Potter's blushing face, whether from anger or embarrassed excitement was hard to decipher.

"And how do you feel now? I mean, after all this?" Albus earnestly looked up into Scorpius' eyes, his own green ones bright and hopeful despite the guarded expression hidden there, "I mean, all you've done is call me pathetic for even believing I had a secret admirer and here I find out it's been you all along."

"I know. I know," Scorpius sighed irritably, "I was saying those things because I was feeling pathetic and confused about all this."

"You still didn't answer my question."

"I don't really know how."

"That's fair, I suppose. Though I would like to think you like me at least a little, considering everything we've done so far..." Albus grinned for a moment becoming serious again, "So it really was you then? Who sent me these robes and all those other gifts?"

"Yes."

"Hmm," Al chewed on his lower lip thoughtfully as he fiddled with one of Scorpius' shirt buttons.

"What is it?"

"Just thinking about how much time you must have used stalking me to know what kind of gifts to give me."

Albus' cheeky grin returned as he circled his arms back around Scorp's neck, green eyes playful.

"Don't get cocky."

"Oh, I'm not, I'm not," Al said smugly before he furrowed his eyebrows once more, "But wait, what about that bracelet? That wasn't an act right? You were really mad about that..."

"Well yeah, because it wasn't me who sent that to you."

"It wasn't?" As Scorpius shook his head, Al tilted his own in thought, his eyes widening as they glazed over in a daydream, "So that means I have more than one S.A.? Wow..."

With a territorial growl, Scorpius swooped down and kissed Al with a raw hunger, having every intention to wipe that thought from the Ravenclaw's mind. It worked.

"Not that I'm even remotely interested in the other one," Al caught his breath as he chuckled nervously, toying with Scorpius' unraveled bowtie, "Blue bracelet? What blue bracelet?"

"Much better," Scorpius nodded before kissing Al again, relishing in the fluttery feeling surrounding his stomach and ignoring his inner Malfoy that was telling him this was all a bad idea.

Albus indulged in the kiss for a bit longer before his rational side kicked in, "Wait, wait. What does this all mean? What are we?"

Scorpius pulled back with a groan before trying to kiss Al again, wanting to avoid talking about that situation altogether.

"Mmph... Malfoy, I'm serious!" Albus pushed back and turned his head away, gasping out a moan when Scorp decided to attack his exposed neck instead, "Are we going to just keep doing what we're doing. I-In secret like this?"

"Why not?" Scorp breathed against Al's skin softly before planting a kiss under his earlobe, "Saves the trouble of dealing with prejudiced opinions and the hate mail I'll likely receive for 'seducing the innocent Potter-child'."

Albus snorted, "Innocent?"

"Well that's how you're viewed by the public. I know you're different though. Mmm, I certainly know you're different," Scorpius moaned into Al's neck, making the brunette began to throb again down below.

"What can I say, you bring it out in me."

"Not complaining."

Al sighed pleasantly from Scorpius' advances before extracting himself from the Slytherin's hold, missing the warmth but desperately needing to figure all this out in his Ravenclaw brain.

"I just want to know what your intentions are. We've been anything but healthy or stable the past two months. I just want to know if I should expect that to keep happening or are you going to try... whatever this is between us and see what happens?"

Scorp raised an eyebrow, feeling oddly vulnerable even though his face didn't reveal it. What were his intentions? He really never got this far in his thinking about the outcome of tonight.

"Would it be a mood killer if I said I'm not quite sure?" he shrugged his shoulders before sighing and ruffling his hair, "I just... You just make me feel things." He finished lamely.

"I make you feel things?" Albus deadpanned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes!" Scorp began pacing, alternating glares between the ground and Albus, "I don't appreciate it. I mean, last term I was perfectly fine ignoring you and only fucking with you for shits but then you come back this year looking like that and acting all bloody confident and your eyes-"

Al blushed as he watched the blonde pace and ramble quite adorably, only catching parts of his sentences but understanding the geist of it.

"-are always so full of hope and life and when they look at me it drives me crazy. You drive me crazy. I can't even sleep at night without dreaming of you and I'm at the point where I'd give up my dreams of being an Auror and Head of the Malfoy Manor if it meant I could be with you and mmph!"

Scorpius' little love rant was cut off by Albus' searching lips, realizing that Scorpius was getting more flustered by the second and every confession he spoke only made Albus want to kiss him more.

"Shh, you're blubbering like a Hufflepuff," Albus joked in a whisper as he pulled away with a smile.

"I was not blubbering. Malfoy's do not blubber."

"Rambling then."

"Malfoy's do not-"

But Albus could care less what Malfoy's didn't do because he knew they certainly did know how to kiss and damn well as a matter of fact.

"Are you done yet?" Albus pulled back yet again, his eyes still closed as he enjoyed the tingling sensation lingering on his sensitive lips.

"Almost," Scorpius smirked before kissing the brunette once more, keeping it soft but promising.

Once Albus regained his senses, he hugged Scorpius close and breathed in his scent, "Alright. Let's just see where this goes. There's no need to broadcast it. I mean, Rose and Flair already know I fancy you."

"Oh, you fancy me eh?"

"Shut up," Al playfully swatted Scorpius' arm before continuing, "But I don't think other people need to know just yet, you know?"

Scorpius nodded his head in agreement, but a part of him couldn't help but worry that maybe Al was ashamed to be seen with him in public. He quickly refuted the insecurity away, not wanting to even delve into that type of thought.

"Colette knows too. And probably Thames, which means Cody might know..."

Albus chuckled a little, "Okay, so a couple of people close to us. I'm fine with that. So are we exclusively together or are we allowed to mess around with others?"

Scorpius growled possessively and nipped Albus' neck.

"Exclusive it is," Al secretly smiled, glad to know Scorpius didn't want to share him or be with anyone else.

Scorpius grunted in satisfaction as he left a mark on the tan neck, happy with his work. "Mine," he said playfully as he pulled back with a smug smirk.

"Yes, yes we've covered that, you egocentric toddler," Al grinned and shook his head in amusement before visibly paling, "Shit."

"What is it?" Scorpius tried to keep his voice nonchalant despite the sickening feeling in his stomach that told him that Albus was about to take everything back and claim momentary insanity.

"I've got to head back to the gala. I promised Rose I'd dance with her and I need to apologize to Lily for being so harsh on her."

"Was it because of her poor excuse for a shirt?"

"Yes! See? I'm not the crazy one here, right?"

"No, I thought it was in bad form too," Scorpius shrugged his shoulders as he stepped back to release his hold on the shorter male, "Well you should get to it then."

"You're not going to come?"

Scorpius almost caved to the puppy-eyed look Al was sporting but shook his head with an amused smirk, "Nah, all this character-building and life-changing stuff has exhausted me. I really only showed up to talk to you anyways."

Al awarded him with a warm smile and chaste kiss on the lips before heading toward the door, "You should try this sweet act more often. You're pretty good at it."

Scorpius scoffed and pretended to look offended, "Don't get used to it. I only acted this way to get you to agree with being mine."

"Well it worked, you sneaky Serpent" Albus gave a playful wink before running out the door, not missing the tiny blush that spread across Scorp's usually pale face.

()

The loud music swarmed around Al's pleasantly buzzing head as he took in the sight of the gala which was calming down as the night neared to a close. He knew his cheeks were still flushed from his prior activities in Classroom 11 but he didn't care.

Catching sight of the familiar blaze of long red hair he associated with his little sister, Al swallowed and headed over. Said little sister was eagerly chatting up a tall blonde fifth year that Al recognized as belonging to his own house while a rather angry-looking Thomas Handler stood off to the side with an armful of stuffed toys. With a soft sigh and incredulous shake of his head, he continued walking toward the trio and spoke up.

"Hey Lils, can I talk to you for a quick sec?"

Lily paused mid-sentence and turned toward her older brother, the look in her honey-brown eyes revealing she hadn't forgiven him yet for his earlier outburst.

"Oh, so you're finally finished with your S.A. then? Where is the blonde greek god anyway? I assumed you two would still be together with how attached you looked earlier..."

"Huh? What?" Al looked gobsmacked before he forcefully grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the other two curious listeners, ignoring her protests. Once they were away from prying ears and eyes, Al turned to her, "How do you... what do you know?"

An evil gleam crossed Lily's eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest defensively, "Apologize first."

"Wh- Okay, okay. That's what I came to do originally anyways," Albus furrowed his eyebrows before continuing, "Look, I'm sorry for being an over-protective older brother. Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I don't know how straight guys think when they look at you. I did overreact, but I still don't think you need to be showing that much skin, because you're beautiful just the way you are."

Lily raised her eyebrows while Al's lungs began to function properly once more, having said the entire apology in a single breath.

"Well, that wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but it'll do. I forgive you," she grinned and pounced Al, hugging him tightly and ignoring it when he tensed up in her arms. "I was hoping you might be over your I-don't-really-like-people-touching-me thing since you've been getting so cozy with Malfoy, but I guess that's just wishful thinking."

"Lils!" Al exclaimed as he pushed his annoying little sister off quickly, looking around to make sure no heard her proclaimation, "About that... Spill."

Keeping her smug grin, Lily placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side, "What? About Malfoy?" At Al's blush and head nod, she continued, "Well, I saw you wander off with him earlier tonight looking rather disheveled..." As Al literally face-palmed, she continued on mercilessly, enjoying the sight of her normally controlled brother lose it, "And I heard him confess that he was your secret admirer to Colette Zabini a couple weeks ago."

Al slowly lifted his flushed face from his hand as he looked at the redhead with narrowed, speculating eyes, "What did you say?"

"Nothing," Lily squeaked once she realized the fault in her smug confession. As she turned to flee, however, Al gripped her arm once more.

"Lily Luna Potter," his voice grew dark, "What do you mean you've known for a couple of weeks?"

Oops, she couldn't help but think. "Just like I said, I overheard him telling Girl-Zabini everything involving this whole secret admirer ordeal, and how he was the one who hexed Holmes-"

"He hexed Jeremy?"

"Do you want to talk or can I continue?" Lily snapped, very much resembling her mother at that moment, which made Al perform a dramatic display of zipping his lips with his hands despite his comically wide eyes begging for an explanation. Satisfied, Lily plowed on, "Anyways, yes, he was the reason all of you had to patrol in double pairs. Apparently he was jealous of him for one reason or another. But he's a Malfoy; they're insane. Anyways, long story short, I know the two of you have been doing the dirty and I whole-heartedly approve. As long as he doesn't go and break your heart, that is."

Lily's last comment made Al blush furiously all over again as he recalled his earlier encounter with a certain Slytherin in Classroom 11, "We're not 'doing the dirty' or whatever you call it... well not completely at least."

"Aha! I knew it! Our own little Albus is spreading his frisky wings. I knew Randy wasn't enough for you. Besides who really wants to scream out 'Randy' in bed anyways? Nope, no cuddly Hufflepuff could compare to a kinky Slytherin. Trust me, I know."

"REALLY didn't want to hear that, lil sis," Albus groaned as he face-palmed yet again. He wondered how it came to be that he was so modest when his siblings (and practically the rest of his extended family) were the complete opposite. The sheer size of their family's offspring alone was proof that matters between the sheets was not something to be shy about. Besides, Al admitted that even though he was modest in public, he certainly was not when he was alone with a certain blonde boy. That thought made a wicked smile cross his lips.

"See that look there?" Lily pointed at his face accusingly with a playfulness in her eyes, "That right there just reminds me we're related."

"Speaking of being related, isn't there some sibling code of conduct that states all little sisters must inform their big brothers when something as great in magnitude as a Malfoy confessing his secret desires for a Potter should come to pass?"

"Well, in my defense, I just wanted to see how it all panned out," Lily defended, "You know you would have freaked out out if I told you and then whatever deliciousness that happened between you two tonight would have never come to pass."

"Ugh, please don't refer to anything I do with Malfoy as delicious ever again. It's just so wrong. It's not like we were making biscuits..."

"Mmhm, is that what they're calling it nowadays?" Lily joked in amusement before looking behind her at the two boys who looked like they were going to whip out their wands at any moment. (Their magical ones, you perverts.) ;)

"Looks like you need to go do damage control. You really should just pick one and stick with them for a little bit," he offered with a smile, "You know, like a relationship."

The redheaded Gryffindor visably shuddered, "You know not to use the 'R' word around me. I leave that to you and James' expertise. Besides, I told you I was on a blonde kick and there are just so many delectable choices at Hogwarts. Like a buffet of sorts."

"Fat kid," Al muttered as he poked her side.

She merely smiled with a flirty wink before flitting off toward the two bickering blonde fifth year boys.

The Ravenclaw shook his head at her antics in exasperation before heading off to find Rose and Jeremy, still too far gone on cloud Malfoy to be bothered any longer by his little sister's pearly bra or festering sluthood.

()

After Al left Classroom 11, Scorpius took a large breath and practically collapsed against the wall like a lovesick schoolgirl, slightly shaken by the brunette's response. He had to admit he wasn't expecting Al to take the news as well as he had. It was just another example of how Potter continued to surprise him.

After a few more moments of calm breathing followed by a disbelieving chuckle, Scorpius pushed himself off the wall and exited the classroom. He continued past the booming doors of the Great Hall with every intention of beelining it for his dorm and replaying the little scene with Potter over and over again until he passed out.

His thoughts were interuppted by a flash of green and red that zoomed past his sight obviously unaware of his presence and too scared to notice him. The Slytherin in him made him swiftly press himself in the tiny alcove he had found Cody and Adrian in earlier that evening, effectively hiding him from sight.

Flair's easily recognizeable figure stopped running as she pressed herself up against the brick wall, not caring if the uneven stone pushed into her exposed shoulders. She hunched over quickly as she dry-heaved, her green corset restricting the harsh rise and fall of her chest as she tried to regain proper breathing. Sounds of rapid clicking heels alerted the redhead as well as a hidden Scorpius, both parties snapping their heads in the direction of the ominous sound.

"You're making a spectacle of yourself, Flair," a smooth voice like velvet cut through the quiet tension.

"Shut up, Cassia," Flair gasped out as she lifted her head back up against the wall, revealing flushed cheeks painted with drying tear tracks.

"Now, is that any way to speak to your professor, Little Red," Cassia chimed in a playfully silky voice, her smile endearing but her eyes mocking.

"It is when said professor is being a bitch," Flair muttered with an endearing smile of her own while she wiped her hair away from her sweaty face.

"Touche," Cassia remarked and placed a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder, "You do need to be more careful though. It's becoming quite obvious... students are talking."

"You know I always say it's better to be talked about than to be considered anonymous," Flair attempted at a joke but her eyes remained somber, "C'mon Cass, you know I've never been good at hiding in the shadows."

"Even so, just because this school was gracious enough to accept your condition doesn't mean the students will be as willing..."

"I know," Flair growled out in annoyance, "You've yet to shut up about it ever since we got here."

"I know, you know," Cassia tried to soothe as she squeezed the Gryffindor's shoulder affectionately, "But it seems you still need reminding, considering how comfortable you've become here in such a short amount of time."

"Did you honestly expect me to be a hermit during my stay here?"

"Well, of course not," the strawberry blonde professor spoke slowly, as if to a misunderstood child which only irked Flair more, "But a girlfriend? And with a Zabini, no less. Not the smartest move at the moment."

"Jealous much? You don't have a say with whom I choose to date," Flair spat out, shrugging off Cassia's hand on her shoulder in irritation, "Besides, she's not like that. She would accept me."

"You've only known her for a couple of months. That's hardly any time to truly know somebody," the older witch pointed out.

"It doesn't matter. I know she would accept me," Flair defended fiercely, glaring up into the taller woman's eyes.

"Even so, her family would never. The Zabini's aren't the most accepting of those unlike themselves... along with the other families she hangs around with: Malfoys, Goyles, Thames... all of them would rip you apart and push for your expulsion. It would be sport for them."

Scorpius continued to watch the conversation between the redheads, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He couldn't help but begin to wonder what type of condition Flair could possibly have (besides being an insufferable American that's stealing his friends away, of course) that would warrant pureblood families to shun her. Being a Muggleborn was hardly an inflammatory offense anymore since the end of the war so it couldn't be that. Their voices brought him back to reality.

"I think you're being paranoid."

"And I think you're being naive," Cassia interjected, "This is all still new for you. Your... condition is still in the developmental stages, so to speak. I'm not saying you shouldn't have friends here, Flair. All I'm saying is that you should really start to take your situation more seriously and be careful who you become involved with."

"And what about Albus and Rose? You have opinions on them as well?" Flair questioned snidely as she tucked some of her hair behind her ear, revealing an annoyed face and sharp blue eyes.

"Actually, no," Cassia tapped her chin thoughtfully, "the development with Potter can be a most beneficial one. I think you should continue to expand on it."

"Unbelievable. I'm not going to continue a friendship with him because it would be beneficial. I'm not a self-serving Slytherin like you."

"No," Cassia's voice lowered to a dangerous octave as she lifted the petite Gryffindor's chin up so she could look into her matching ice-blue eyes, "You're a fool. A fool I obviously still have to keep my eye on."

Scorpius had to bite his tongue to the point of bleeding as he watched his Divination professor lean down and kiss 'Satan's Mistress' in a way that not considered European-friendly.

Flair gasped against the older woman's lips before she successfully pushed Cassia away, wiping her mouth after, "I have a girlfriend now! You can't just go kissing me whenever you like!"

"I know. It's charming," Cassia chuckled sardonically as she pinned Flair against the wall with her tall, slender body, "Just remember who you truly belong to, Little Red..."

Flair looked away with a shiver as Cassia ran a teasing finger down the pale girl's face and chest, hovering over one of the charmed vines as it curled around her digit curiously.

"Nice outfit, by the way. I might have use for it later."

"Kinky," Flair said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes and swatted the woman's questing hand away in annoyance, "I might even let you be Batman."

"Now, now, you seemed perfectly fine role playing last week. Estatic even," Cassia smirked as she rested her hands on Flair's hips possessively, "I do recall a rather thrilling evening of Little Red Riding Hood meets the Wolf." Cassia licked her lips before she began nipping up Flair's neck teasingly.

"That," Flair moaned out as she tried to struggle her way free, hating how the older woman still affected her, "was when Colette and I were fighting and I thought we were broken up. We're back together now."

"Yes, and tomorrow she'll probably break your heart all over again for me to pick up the pieces. Oh how fickly teenagers are... I had almost forgotten," Cassia chuckled humorlessly before planting another chaste kiss on Flair's lips, "As I said before, remember who you belong to and that you would have nothing if it weren't for me."

Flair swallowed and nodded her head once before untangling herself and heading back to the gala, suddenly feeling exhausted and extremely guilty for running out on Colette.

"Oh, and Flair?"

Flair paused and gritted her teeth, refusing to turn back and look at her tormentor, "What?"

"I meant what I said about Potter. Keep an eye on him. He's going to be useful."

The last comment made the Gryffindor furrow her eyebrows in confusion and finally turn to look back at Cassia, "Useful with what?"

"Maybe if you're good tonight after the gala, I'll indulge you."

Flair knew that meant Cassia would remain tight-lipped on whatever plans she had, so instead of prying the redhead replied with a seductive smile, "When have I ever been good?"

Cassia shared a knowing looked before Flair left with a siwhsing of her hips, leaving behind an amused professor and a stunned Scorpius Malfoy. It wasn't until he heard the retreating click-clacking of Professor Farlow's heels that the blonde allowed himself to take a much-needed breath while he replayed the eye-opening scene over and over again until he thought his brain might implode. Each time he remembered a detail between the redheads, he would become more enraged to the point of where he felt his magic thrumming restlessly within him.

He knew he had never cared for the American and now he had the proof to back his intuition. Between her technically cheating on his best friend with their Divination professor and apparently putting Potter's life at stake, Scorpius had a mind to hunt down the Gryffindor and gave her a piece of his mind, but he knew that nothing good would come of it at the moment.

And this "condition" she had was something that could risk expulsion. What was that about? Scorpius rushed back to his dorm room and collapsed onto his bed without changing his clothes before surrounding himself with the dark green bed curtains. With the sound of a wasted Rodney snoring as background music, Scorpius couldn't help but allow his mind to think a simple yet unnervingly daunting thought:

Just when I thought my life was getting easier...

Next time on Jigsaw Love:

Scorpius impersonates his Halloween costume long after the gala ends as he begins to try and unravel the mysteries surrounding Flair Ellison and Cassia Farlow (with Albus as his Bond girl, of course!); a special guest visits Hogwarts and sheds some light as to why Albus was so bold that one evening when he body-binded Scorpius and frotted to his heart's content; the first Quidditch game of the season begins and Al and Professor Farlow bond over a similar hobby, much to the displeasure of Scorpius; rumors of the shrieking shack "re-shrieking" has begun to spread around Hogsmeade and is rapidly approaching the gossip chain at Hogwarts.

Biscuits and buffets of blonde Hogwarts' boys for all who review!


	13. Cold Like The Sun

"We should stop meeting like this," Albus growled against Scorpius' neck, nipping it teasingly as he allowed himself to be pushed against the wall of Classroom 11.

"But it's so much fun, I can't resist," Scorp moaned out before grabbing Al's hair and pulling his head back so he could mash their lips together messily.

Al pulled away first, gasping for breath as he clung onto Scorp's leather jacket, idly fingering the warm material with his calloused fingertips.

"I have to leave in a minute."

Albus shook his head as he buried it in the blonde's chest, still gripping the jacket's lapels tightly. "Nope, consider yourself kidnapped."

Scorp chuckled softly as he drew Albus closer, arms wrapped tightly around the smaller boy's waist while he sniffed soft brunette hair, "I would love to be kidnapped by you, trust me. But the game is tomorrow and I'm not taking any chances, specially with your brother as Captain this year." He paused for a moment as he lifted his head, looking down at Al accusingly, "You and your brother aren't in league together are you? Sending the younger and cuter Potter to distract me all week while the other takes the win from under my nose?"

Al playfully swatted Scorp's arm. "I'm not cute and no, I leave all those cunning tricks for your kind. This eagle will be secretly rooting for those lecherous snakes tomorrow."

"You better," Scorp warned with a playful nip to Al's cheek, causing the Ravenclaw to squawk indignantly while he wiped his face.

"Watch it."

"Slytherin. Biting comes with the territory."

Al huffed before sliding his hands underneath Scorpius' shirt, scratching his nails along the smooth skin of his waist at a leisurely pace, smirking as the blonde's grey eyes darkened.

"Ravenclaw," Al shrugged as he continued his teasing, "Using our talons is like second nature."

The Ravenclaw's gentle strokes turned into a tight gripping of hipbones as Scorpius swooped down and captured his prey in a hungry kiss, determined to make sure his little bird was thoroughly wanting before he left him.

Needless to say, despite the sudden tightness in his trousers, Scorpius was pleased as he left for practice to see Albus panting and glaring at him for leaving him so unsatisfied. The Slytherin couldn't wait to see what would happen after dinner tonight.

()

Saturday morning came quicker than Scorpius would have liked. It seemed liked ages ago since the Ghoul's Gala last Saturday and he enjoyed each moment spent with Al the past week, but at the same time he felt overwhelmed by how much more practice time he wished he had for the Quidditch game today. He woke up slightly more irritable than usual and the Slytherins gave him a wide berth when he stalked through the common room, Serpents in tow, on his way to breakfast.

"Make sure you eat this time. I don't want a repeat of last April," Colette chastised Scorpius softly, being the only one brave enough to speak with him when he was in one of his dogmatically focused moods.

He grumbled something suspiciously like "go to Hell" but when they sat in their normal spot, Scorpius obediently filled his plate with protein and carbs. Colette smirked in satisfaction before glancing across the table, rolling her eyes and promptly kicking Cody's shin.

"Thames is not considered a nutritious breakfast, Cody."

"I beg to differ," Adrian deadpanned dryly, speaking against Cody's pressed lips while side-glancing at Colette, the look in his cerulean depths absolutely pornographic.

"Oh," Colette cleared her throat awkwardly, "Oh, gross..."

Cody blushed as he laughed, his head falling on Adrian's shoulders as he mumbled against the other boy's neck, "You left yourself open for that one, sis."

"I know, I know. Ugh, make the images stop."

"Colette's right," Scorpius's voice cut through the laughter, sharp and precise, "Focus on the game coming up and not each other."

"Oh, he does speak," Cody joked but lost his smile when those steel eyes turned to him, forcing him to mock-salute, "Yes, Boss."

Silence settled among the Slytherins for a moment until squawking began to chorus through the Great Hall, signaling the morning posts' arrival. Recognition ignited in Scorp's eyes when he spotted his father's owl. Ever since Scorpius joined the Quidditch team back in third year, Draco and Astoria Malfoy made it a ritual to come to all Slytherin games. And being the secret saps they were, they would always send an owl ahead with an encouraging note of "Stay calm, we're proud of you and here's one of those cheese croissants from your favorite cafe in Lyon."

No matter what his mood, Scorp always perked up at the thought of one of those cheese croissants. He was so stressed this morning he had almost forgotten. And as if on cue, Draco's owl dropped the note and lavender box in front of Scorpius before flying off, pushing past a couple of sluggish school owls irritably.

Scorpius quickly opened the box and was about to indulge in one of his favorite traditions before a small barn owl with a piece of blue parchment attached to it's leg settled calmly in front of the blonde on the table.

The Serpents, whom didn't react to the first owl since knowing about the Malfoy tradition, all looked up in question at the new feathery presence. Scorpius tentatively removed the colored scroll and unraveled it slowly, remaining wary. It wasn't until he read the entire letter that a genuine smile appeared on his lips, making the Serpents even more intrigued, (except for Adrian, of course, who was far too busy trying to get Cody's attention again though he loathed to admit it).

Colette snatched the paper out of her best friend's hands before rolling her eyes with a good-natured chuckle, "I swear, you poofs are worse than twelve-year-old girls."

Scorpius didn't hear the blow, however, since he was busy making eyes at a certain grinning Ravenclaw across the room.

"I wanna read," Cody held out his hand expectantly toward his twin. Adrian tried not to look too interested as he read over his boyfriend's shoulder.

Dearest Scorpius,

Wishing you luck today even though you and I both know you certainly don't need it. When (not if) you succeed in kicking Gryffindors' arses you might find yourself generously rewarded.

My heart is yours,

Your Secret Admirer

a.k.a. Your Bond Girl

P.S. Have I ever told you how damn delicious your arse looks in your Quidditch uniform?

"Bond Girl?" Adrian inquired dryly as he went back to eating his toast with blackberry jam. Unfortunately he caught the way Cody's eyes lit up as he read over the note, a sight of longing there.

Scorpius had come clean with the rest of the Serpents about the whole secret admirer ordeal and how him and Albus were secretly official, which caused a mosaic of reactions: Rodney was primarily upset but apologized the next day for what he had said during the night of the Ghoul's Gala; Cody was utterly gobsmacked and then promptly smacked his sister for knowing and not sharing the secret (twinsy-loyalty be damned); Adrian had merely rolled his eyes before going back to reading his book, dryly commenting something like "Is that all?" and how he had known something like this would happen since the Hogwarts Express and thank Merlin because now maybe Scorpius would stop being such an insufferable sexually-frustrated pansy. The nonchalant delivery of his comments with the sharpness in his blue eyes once again reminded Scorpius that Adrian Thames was indeed a force to be reckoned with and how relieved he was that they were on the same side.

Said force to be reckoned with was now begrudgingly plotting how he could do something romantic like this for Cody without losing all of his pride since his boyfriend tended to enjoy such ridiculous displays of affection.

Stupid Scorpius.

"Inside joke," Scorpius murmured, bringing Adrian back to the present.

The lean brunette rolled his eyes as he drank the rest of his juice, slipping a hand under the table and squeezing Cody's thigh affectionately. The dark-skinned sixth year blushed with a sheepish smile as he leaned his head against Adrian's shoulder, moving his eggs about his plate distractedly.

Colette simply looked at Rodney, both wearing matching bemused expressions, before shaking her head at all the boy-love until a bewildered grin broke across her face at the person who entered the Great Hall. Flair's attire was literally split down the middle: one side red and gold and the other green and silver. It looked like she had physically sewn the mismatched outfit herself, which she probably did in Colette's opinion. The redhead passed by Al and ruffled his already messy hair before continuing on her way to the Slytherins.

"Well this is surely unprecedented," Colette raised her eyebrows, lifting her cheek so Flair could give it a kiss.

"Talk about completely mental," Cody added with wide eyes, wondering if anyone had ever supported these two houses at the same time before in such a blatant manner.

"Couldn't decide who to root for then?" Adrian raised an eyebrow as he swept over her small frame before returning to his food, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"I feel I shouldn't have to decide. I'm going Canadian on this."

Scorpius snorted indelicately as he placed his cheese croissant down, suddenly losing any desire to enjoy his favorite pastry since his stomach had decided to twist into knots. Flair's face only served as a reminder of the bitter encounter he witnessed only a week ago. He was no closer to solving the mystery of Flair Ellison and Professor Farlow but the sickness in his stomach whenever he saw either one of them had yet to fade. The queasy emotions must have flitted onto his face because he was suddenly being poked by Colette.

"So are you finally over your hostility toward me, Blondie?" Flair joked with a grin as she slid her arms over her chest and popped her hip to one side.

Scorp wanted to hex the smug grin off her devious little face but growled rather animalistically instead as he shrugged off his best friend's hand on his shoulder and went back to picking at his pastry.

"Um, Scorp's just stressed out about the game today. First one of the season you know? He's treating everyone like a right tosser," Cody, always the peacemaker, supplied with a soothing smile.

Flair sighed gently with a soft furrow in her brow before shrugging and kissing Colette's cheek once more for good luck before heading over to where Al and Rose were sitting, looking for all the world oblivious to the strange exchange.

Colette, however, was extremely aware and smacked Scorpius' arm as she glared at him, "What in the bloody fuck was that?"

"I'm not in the mood," Scorp declared cooly, "I just want to focus on the game today alright?"

Colette couldn't argue with him there but she still couldn't help her soft muttering of, "worse than a menstruating female" before sipping her juice innocently.

()

"Al! Rose!"

Al turned toward the sound of the bright voice, grinning like a child at the sight of Louis Weasley and an attractive brunette standing at his side.

"Louis!" Al and Rose screamed simultaneously as they tackled their cousin, making the stranger chuckle as Louis tried to pry them off.

"Not the hair!" Louis practically squealed as he pulled back, turning to his companion and swatting him from chuckling, "Don't encourage them."

"You know I love to see you all riled up," the brunette whispered in Louis' ear before pulling back and smiling at the two students, "Hey, I'm Dylan."

Al and Rose smiled and shook his hand.

"So you're the one who still has enough patience to handle our Louis..."

"Rose!"

The redhead giggled softly along with Dylan before she grabbed his arm and pulled him along down the corridor, "Come on. The game's going to start soon and I want to hear how you managed to still keep our cousin's affections without the use of a love potion or the Imperius..."

"She's still insufferable," Louis grumbled as he pouted, watching the two walk on ahead, even though Dylan did look back to make sure it was okay to be walking off with his lover's cousin. Good boy.

"Eh, she's Rose," Al shrugged as if it were obvious before tilting his head to the side to appreciate the view of his cousin's boyfriend's backside, "Well he's fit..."

"I know right?" Louis asked rhetorically, before narrowing his eyes, "Do I have to worry about Rosie..."

"No, of course not. She's with Jeremy now anyways. Besides we know who the flirt of the family is," Al gave a knowing side-glance to his blonde cousin.

"I'm certain I have no idea what you are referring to," Louis sniffed haughtily before smiling and linking his arms with Al, following the pair up ahead at a relaxed pace.

A comfortable silence fell upon the two best friends before Louis spoke up again, mischieviousness laced in his voice, "So did those candies work?"

Al immediately turned bright red from a particular memory involving a petrified Scorpius and Al's moment of brazen impetuousness, which cued a loud belly laugh to escape the beautiful blonde boy, "I'm guessing that's a yes, then..."

"More like a why do I trust you with these sorts of things?" Al grumbled before laughing along with his cousin, launching into a full explanation of how he had managed to get Scorpius alone and how he tormented him while he came on top of him. Louis had put a muffling charm on them so onlookers couldn't comprehend and if one was to look at the duo they would see a red-faced Albus looking like he was having a heart attack with Louis Weasely looking for all the world equal-parts smug and scandalized.

"I didn't know you had it in you!"

"Your influence, obviously."

"Well I'll just have to tell George that those cheeky cheeries do the trick... But don't worry, I won't tell him where I got my findings from," Louis added when he looked upon Al's horrified face; telling Louis had been a traumatizing experience enough.

After that, both boys caught up to Rose and Dylan and headed out to the Quidditch Pitch, ready to see some good old Slytherin ass-kicking fun (except for Al, of course).

()

The stands were in an uproar as Gryffindor made another goal, putting them in the lead by merely ten points. The game was neck-to-neck and it put Al's nerves on edge as he watched wisps of green and red figures intertwine and loop around each other frantically. Scorpius had done his job as Captain well; the Slytherins were a well-oiled machine, weaving and dodging as a single unit despite how well James had obviously commandeered his own team.

Al was sandwiched between Louis and Rose in the Gryffindor stands with the rest of their family and Flair, (who had already received incredulous looks for her contradicting attire). Despite the exciting display the game was providing, Albus couldn't help but let his eyes drift over toward Scorpius, a small blush rising to his cheek when he noticed the blonde giving him a quick wink with a smirk before flying off again in search for the snitch; Louis didn't miss a beat.

"If he keeps looking at you like that, the whole school will figure it out by tomorrow morning."

"I'm certain the school knows," Rose chimed in on Al's other side, her fingers interlaced with Jeremy's since she had forced him to leave the library and come to the game with her, claiming fresh air would do his complexion some good.

"Rose!"

"What? I'm just saying... you two are about as sly as a pair of freshly picked mandrakes," Rose shrugged with a smile as she leaned against Jeremy's side.

Al glared at his redheaded cousin before shifting his hard eyes to the blonde one on his right, who was laughing to the point where his boyfriend turned and asked what was so funny. Louis whispered something in Dylan's ear, which earned another round of chuckles that Al pretended to ignore. Just as he started to focus on the game again, everyone rose to their feet and began to cheer because Scorpius had just spotted the snitch and was diving for it. The Gryffindor seeker, Hunter Rowley, who was a twig of a 6th year but graceful enough in his movements followed close behind. The two boys were head-to-head as they rushed past the Gryffindor stand, causing Al's heart to leap into his throat.

Yet instead of cheering along with the crowd, Al's eyebrows clenched together in confusion, because as Scorpius zoomed past there was something horribly wrong with the expression on his face; it wasn't the normally determined one he sported when playing, but rather one of intense fear. Al didn't have enough time to decipher why his boyfriend had such a look on his face because in that moment the public's cheering transformed into screams of fright as the sight of Malfoy falling rapidly to the ground came into view. His broom was nowhere in sight.

()

"How is he doing?"

"Still unconscious, but Madam Liverwood said he'll be fine minus the slight concussion and broken arm from the fall..."

"Bloody lucky McGonagall still has her wits about her or else it would have been worse."

"Did anyone see where his broom went anyway? I was too busy trying to bat off Weasely's advances. Brilliant beater."

"Well whatever happened I want a full investigation. My son is flawless on a broom. He wouldn't just fall off like that..."

"I think it's time to leave. Allow the poor child some rest please."

The voices continued in a what felt like a foggy blur of sounds, some harsh to Scorpius' ears and others soft and pleasant. Soon the murmurs ceased and the restless quiet were his only company until a weight shifted down on what the Slytherin assumed was a Hospital Wing cot (by the uncomfy, stiff mattress and the scent of sterilization). Yet no matter how hard Scorp tried to open his eyes, the act seemed impossible. He heart stuttered when warm, chapped lips grazed his forehead but he immediately relaxed when he recognized the low soft voice.

"Please be alright," Albus whispered softly while he fingered Scorpius' blonde locks. After being shooed out by Madam Liverwood, Al immediately went to his brother demanding the invisibility cloak before heading back to Hospital Wing in secret. James looked at him questionably but said nothing as he handed the magical cloth over. Gryffindor Tower was fairly somber but Al figured it had something to do with what happened on the Quidditch Pitch. Apparently Al wasn't the only one who realized the seriousness of Scorpius' fall or the mystery of how it happened in the first place, leaving a heavy presence lingering around Hogwarts.

"Just so you know, no one won the match, so you don't have to stress about that," Albus continued softly speaking to his unconscious boyfriend while trying to keep his emotions in check; he'd never been really great at keeping himself together when tragedy hit him personally, "They're calling it a tie since you and Rowley were evenly distanced toward the snitch before your broom disappeared and you... you..."

Something clenched inside of Scorpius once he realized Al was sniffling softly and he couldn't do anything about it. A warm hand became a warm body as Al climbed onto the bed with Scorpius, pressing his body up against Scorp for comfort. If Scorp had the ability to speak he would have jokingly commented about the last time he was paralyzed and Albus was pressed against him but since he couldn't, he merely laid there with his mind screaming for is body to cooperate and just move so he could embrace his Ravenclaw.

Minutes felt like hours until suddenly the warm presence detached itself from Scorpius' body with a ferocious quickness followed by the sound of cloth shuffling nearby and clicking of heels. Scorpius' heart dropped. He knew those heels. He had been having nightmares about them since Saturday night at the Ghoul's Gala. The Slytherin assumed Professor Farlow's entrance caused Al to leave in such a rush but the blonde had to admit (if only to himself) that he was afraid to be left alone with the Divination professor without the use of his limbs.

The approaching clicks stopped and Scorpius could feel a warm presence nearby that felt oddly chilled hovering over his face before the feeling of soft hair tickled his nose and a voice like ice pierced his eardrums despite the soft-spoken tone of her whispers.

"That was a warning, sweet Malfoy," Scorpius could feel her lips practically graze his ear, making him wish he could sit up and vomit from the unsettled feeling her close proximity was giving him, "I know what you witnessed Saturday night and I know you've been searching for answers." A clammy hand wrapped itself gently around his throat and Scorpius thought for sure this was his last moment on Earth, internally swearing to himself that he would come back as a ghost and haunt the living shit out of the redhead until the end of her days. Yet in these last minutes of life, all he could think about was how in the world she had found him out. He was sure he wasn't too obvious with his researching over the week. Though he supposed his eyes must have given him away last Thursday during Divination when Cassia was bonding with Al over art; he knew he should have controlled the utter loathing swelling in his grey depths but the thought of Professor Farlow spending any more private time with Al had made him livid and he couldn't stop replaying the scene of Flair and the older redhead in the corridor in his mind for the remainder of the class.

It wasn't until today when he had heard Cassia's voice in his head during the Quidditch game promising threats of his ruin that he realized why she had ended that particular Divination class thirty minutes early. He was simply too focused on Albus and the upcoming match to think that perhaps she had seen into his thoughts that particular afternoon and realized his knowledge of her deceit. All of it swam into the front of his brain, connecting and reconnecting until a throbbing sensation began to pound against his forehead, steadily growing until it consumed him.

Cassia continued speaking, her breathe suddenly too warm against the cold dread that was seeping into his consciousness, "I suggest you stop snooping or else something more detrimental might occur and I'm sure you wouldn't want that. I'd hate to see a fellow Slytherin shed his skin so soon."

Cassia's hand clenched around Scorpius' neck for the briefest of moments before quickly dissipating, followed by the sound of retreating heels.

It wasn't until the door to the Hospital Wing closed shut that Scorpius gasped for breath as his eyes snapped open, a trembling pair of green staring back.

Next on Jigsaw Love:

The mystery and drama continues... (That's all the preview you're going to get.) ;)


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